October 30, 200717 yr Cleveland schools don't seem to be as bad as we (or I) thought compared to the rest of the state?? --------------------------------------- One in ten high schools across America graduate no more than 60 percent WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a nickname no principal could be proud of: ‘‘Dropout Factory,’’ a high school where no more than 60 percent of the students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year. That description fits more than one in 10 high schools across America. ‘‘If you’re born in a neighborhood or town where the only high school is one where graduation is not the norm, how is this living in the land of equal opportunity?’’ asks Bob Balfanz, the Johns Hopkins researcher who coined the term ‘‘dropout factory.’’ There are about 1,700 regular or vocational high schools nationwide that fit that description, according to an analysis of Education Department data conducted by Johns Hopkins for The Associated Press. That’s 12 percent of all such schools, about the same level as a decade ago. While some of the missing students transferred, most dropped out, says Balfanz. The data looked at senior classes for three years in a row to make sure local events like plant closures aren’t to blame for the low retention rates. The highest concentration of dropout factories is in large cities or high-poverty rural areas in the South and Southwest. Most have high proportions of minority students. These schools are tougher to turn around because their students face challenges well beyond the academic ones — the need to work as well as go to school, for example, or a need for social services. Nearly 10 percent of Ohio’s high schools, or just under 70 schools statewide, qualify as dropout factories, according to the study’s data. Many were in urban areas, including 14 of 17 high schools in the Columbus district, seven of 17 in Cincinnati, seven of 16 in Cleveland and six of seven in Toledo. Utah, which has low poverty rates and fewer minorities than most states, is the only state without a dropout factory. Florida and South Carolina have the highest percentages. ‘‘Part of the problem we’ve had here is, we live in a state that culturally and traditionally has not valued a high school education,’’ said Jim Foster, a spokesman for the South Carolina department of education. He noted that residents in that state previously could get good jobs in textile mills without a high school degree, but that those jobs are gone today. Washington hasn’t focused much attention on the problem. The federal No Child Left Behind Act, for example, pays much more attention to educating younger students. But that appears to be changing. House and Senate proposals to renew the 5-year-old No Child law would give high schools more federal money and put more pressure on them to improve on graduation performance, and the Bush administration supports that idea. The current NCLB law imposes serious consequences on schools that report low scores on math and reading tests, and this fallout can include replacement of teachers or principals — or both. But the law doesn’t have the same kind of enforcement teeth when it comes to graduation rates. Nationally, about 70 percent of U.S. students graduate on time with a regular diploma. For Hispanic and black students, the proportion drops to about half. The legislative proposals circulating in Congress would: ? Make sure schools report their graduation rates by racial, ethnic, and other subgroups and are judged on those results. That’s to ensure that schools aren’t just graduating white students in high numbers, but also are working to ensure that minority students get diplomas. ? Get states to build data systems to keep track of students throughout their school years and more accurately measure graduation and dropout rates. ? Ensure that states count graduation rates in a uniform way. States have used a variety of formulas, including counting the percentage of entering seniors who get a diploma. That measurement ignores the obvious fact that kids who drop out typically do so before their senior year. ? Create strong progress goals for graduation rates and impose sanctions on schools that miss those benchmarks. Most states currently lack meaningful goals, according to The Education Trust, a nonprofit group that advocates for poor and minority children. The current law requires testing in reading and math once in high school, and those tests take on added importance because of the serious consequences for a school of failure. Critics say that creates a perverse incentive for schools to encourage kids to drop out before they bring down a school’s scores. ‘‘The vast majority of educators do not want to push out kids, but the pressures to raise test scores above all else are intense,’’ said Bethany Little, vice president for policy at the Alliance for Excellent Education, an advocacy group focused on high schools. ‘‘To know if a high school is doing its job, we need to consider test scores and graduation rates equally.’’ Little said some students pushed out of high schools are encouraged to enroll in programs that prepare them to take the GED exam. People who pass that test get certificates indicating they have high-school level academic skills.
November 20, 200717 yr Article from the Detroit newspaper! Another great article from outside region on Cleveland's continual improvement --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, November 19, 2007 Learn from Cleveland, other rising city schools Imagine an education army, marching on hundreds of students' homes, to make sure teachers and parents are working together to successfully graduate every teenager in their city. On a brisk Saturday in Cleveland last month, that is exactly what happened. Cleveland Metropolitan Public Schools educators -- from the district superintendent down to cub teachers -- knocked on 1,400 doors to talk with the parents of every senior who is failing to meet requirements to graduate. It's just one of the extraordinary measures the district is taking to radically improve its student achievement. Extraordinary, that is, to Michiganians. This state has grown so accustomed to education stagnation particularly in urban districts, that it acts as if failure is a pre-destined outcome for poor and urban students. Across the country, cities are proving that is absolutely not the case. Policy -- not poverty, race or ethnicity -- dictate school success. Michigan must learn that lesson. Cleveland, Boston and Los Angeles are improving their student achievement levels so much, new research released on Friday showed, they are outpacing progress made statewide in subjects such as middle school math. Cities such as New York City are going even further, outperforming their peers nationwide, according to the 2007 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) results for urban school districts in reading and math. By comparison, Michigan's urban districts have fallen so low in NAEP scores, the state's African-American students have the tragic distinction of being among the worst performers in math and reading for all black children nationwide. Detroit, for one, often argues comparisons are unfair because of its unique characteristics. However, Cleveland public schools have a high poverty rate, steeply declining enrollment, smaller budgets and the same middle-class flight. Cleveland's bold response could hardly be more different, though. Its teachers' union and administration have guaranteed -- in writing -- they will close their district's achievement gap by 2010. That means their students will have to test at the same level as their peers state-wide. "We said, 'We are going to do whatever it takes,' " Eric Gordon, the district's chief academic officer, told The Detroit News. District leaders and the teacher's union, an American Federation of Teachers affiliate (the same as Detroit's), are working closely together to pinpoint instructional weaknesses, coach teachers and open pre-kindergarten programs to catch up young students' learning by third grade. They're also collaborating with state leaders who provide guidance on strategy. They're even knocking on every sophomore's door in the spring and every troubled senior's door in the fall to make sure parents know how to support their child's high school graduation success. Last week, Detroit Public School leaders learned the district has lost 7,462 students since last fall, resulting in a cut of $71 million in state funds. The district has 104,975 students now. Despite its continued losses, district leaders seem more focused on excuse-making than turning around its academic achievement, which is what is spurring students' families to leave. Detroit and other urban districts can and should learn from Cleveland and other cities that are proving state, district and school level policies truly matter -- and can turn around failing urban schools. "When report after report tell us that there are dramatic differences in achievement between schools and districts that serve very similar students, at what point do we as a country stop blaming a child's skin color or ZIP code and start asking more tough questions about what's happening in these schools?" Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust, asked last week. When, indeed.
November 20, 200717 yr ‘‘Part of the problem we’ve had here is, we live in a state that culturally and traditionally has not valued a high school education,’’ said Jim Foster, a spokesman for the South Carolina department of education. He noted that residents in that state previously could get good jobs in textile mills without a high school degree, but that those jobs are gone today. That could be said of Ohio and our traditional reliance on jobs in the auto and steel industry.
November 21, 200717 yr Rhodes is the only somewhat okay school in the district. Not true at all. The Cleveland School of the Arts and John Hay are very good schools.
November 21, 200717 yr That isn't true at all, There are numerous schools in the CMSD that are exceptional. Max Hay's vo ed school, The Cleveland school of nursing, which out of the 65 graduates last year 63 went on to college and the Cleveland school of business has the same numbers. These are only High Schools examples, there is a blue ribbon elementary school in Ohio City, AND per the numbers, the district is on pace with its suburban counterparts in testing until the 6th grade. Junior High seems to be the troubled spots in the district right now... My neighbor even told me, who is vary anti school-school levies, that we would now vote for a levy because he thinks the new CEO is making strides in the district. I was shocked when he said that... I think the district is going in the right direction...
December 12, 200717 yr Great news! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=79660 Are uniforms in Cleveland making a difference? Updated:12/11/2007 8:52:56 PM CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Metropolitan School District began the school year with uniforms at K to 8 schools and a strict dress code at high schools, and now about 4 months later some say it's made a difference. CEO Dr. Eugene Sanders says it's very early to pinpoint dramatic changes in the schools because of uniforms, but he says increased attendance may be an effect. "We have seen K to 8 schools go from 88.5% to 94% attendance," says Dr. Sanders. He says it will take a full year to see the full impact of uniforms, though. Teachers say it has changed the atmosphere in the buildings. They believe students are more serious and respectful of each other and themselves. That's not to say that there are no behavior problems at all. Other suburban school districts have been watching the impact of Cleveland's uniform policy to see if it might work in other districts. Akron is the largest district since Cleveland to implement dress code and uniform policies.
December 15, 200717 yr Does anyone know anything about the old Cleveland public schools which have been closed or sold in the last 30 years?
December 19, 200717 yr This sounds like part of the John Hay campus, but I thought that was already open... Either way, great news! Grant to help start 2 specialty schools Posted by Scott Stephens December 19, 2007 11:52AM Categories: Breaking News Two Cleveland-based foundations will give the city school system $1.65 million to support innovative specialty schools, district officials announced today. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com
December 19, 200717 yr Good News. :clap: Its about time we had more schools specializing in the very things that are growing and will continue to grow in the Northeast Ohio economy. Hopefully this will keep more kids/young adults in Cleveland as well as raise the bar on education, since not all the suburban school districts can't offer this type of education.
January 11, 200817 yr Good News. :clap: Its about time we had more schools specializing in the very things that are growing and will continue to grow in the Northeast Ohio economy. Hopefully this will keep more kids/young adults in Cleveland as well as raise the bar on education, since not all the suburban school districts can't offer this type of education. This innovation in curriculum is definitely a step in the right direction. Can you imagine suburban parents wanting to send their kids to a Cleveland public school? Hopefully this sentiment can be attained in the near future. For the city to survive, the schools have to move well beyond the stigma of their past failures.
January 11, 200817 yr Good News. :clap: Its about time we had more schools specializing in the very things that are growing and will continue to grow in the Northeast Ohio economy. Hopefully this will keep more kids/young adults in Cleveland as well as raise the bar on education, since not all the suburban school districts can't offer this type of education. This innovation in curriculum is definitely a step in the right direction. Can you imagine suburban parents wanting to send their kids to a Cleveland public school? Hopefully this sentiment can be attained in the near future. For the city to survive, the schools have to move well beyond the stigma of their past failures. Actually some do. My nephew, who is really into painting/art and industrial design, go figure, begged me to convince my brother to let him use my address as his "home address" so that he could attend the Cleveland School of Arts. From what I understand, some of the kids he met at Art House and Cleveland Institute of art classes were using others addresses to get into the CSOTA.
January 28, 200817 yr Successful charter schools giving families reason to stay in Cleveland Academic success gives families a reason to stay in Cleveland Monday, January 28, 2008 Scott Stephens Plain Dealer Reporter If not for Old Brooklyn Community School, Kerrin Shafer would be an ex-Clevelander. "It was a savior for us," said Shafer, who has two children in the State Road charter school. "We were ready to leave the city because of the schools. We stayed because of this school." More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com
February 13, 200817 yr Here's a feel good story featuring the wife of Coach Brown of the Cavs http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=54613&bw=
March 20, 200817 yr Cleveland schools end 11 years in fiscal watch Posted by Metro Staff March 20, 2008 11:57AM Categories: Breaking News, Education The Cleveland school district was released from fiscal watch today by the state auditor, ending more than 11 years on the state's list of districts with elevated financial concerns. More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/03/cleveland_schools_end_11_years.html
April 25, 200817 yr Snippets of Success Volume 7 Abstracts of success stories throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Max S. Hayes High School Students Selected for Research Group Four Max S. Hayes High School students were interviewed and have been selected to participate in the Polymer Envoys Program at Case Western Reserve University. The program provides students with an opportunity to join active science and engineering research groups at Case. Students will work two afternoons per week during the school year and six full time weeks in the summer. A graduate student at Case, along with a Cleveland Metropolitan School District teacher, will mentor student participants. The Envoys program was developed in an effort to create more interest amongst students in the area of science and engineering research. Congratulations Max Hayes students! We know you’ll do great things! Academic Scholarship to be Named After CMSD CEO Medical Mutual of Ohio has graciously donated $50,000.00 in scholarship funds for the benefit of Cleveland Metropolitan School District students. As an added honor, the scholarship will be named after Cleveland Schools CEO, Dr. Eugene T.W. Sanders. The District anticipates the first scholarship award will be presented this June. John Marshall Senior Receives 1 of 10 Awarded Scholarships John Marshall High School senior, Ahmad Hamad, was one of only ten regional graduating seniors to receive a $1000 scholarship through the Cavaliers/First Merit Bank Scholarship Program. Of the ten recipients, Ahmad was the only CMSD senior selected from a pool of over 450 Northeast Ohio applicants. During the April 9th Cleveland Cavaliers game, Ahmad was honored at a pre-game banquet and recognized during a halftime ceremony. Congratulations Ahmad on this wonderful accomplishment! CMSD Named “Inclusion Award” Recipient The Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Office of Transition Services/Work Study has been named the recipient of one of four “2008 Inclusion Awards”. The Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilites present this award to honor organizations or individuals in the community that have done an outstanding job of recognizing, supporting and integrating individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities into their organization and/or the local community. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 25, 200817 yr Too bad this story only highlighted a few schools. Off the top of my head, there are at least three or four additional public schools and a couple of private schools that could have been mentioned. We need more articles like this to remind people that even though there are lots of problems in urban school districts, a quality education and good learning environment can still be had. From the PD: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1209112370135760.xml&coll=2 Cleveland Schools Making a Difference study highlights 13 with strong test scores Friday, April 25, 2008 Thomas Ott Plain Dealer Reporter Education is not a lost cause in Cleveland, and schools across the city have the track record to prove it, says a study to be released today. "Cleveland Schools That Are Making a Difference" features 13 schools that have turned in strong achievement test scores while teaching mostly low-income children.
April 25, 200817 yr And the press release from the Cleveland Foundation... http://www.clevelandfoundation.org/PressRoom/PressReleases/Detail/default.aspx?id=1494 Thirteen Cleveland schools lauded for promising practices in urban education Foundations’ report chronicles curriculum, instruction, shared vision Release Date: 4/25/2008 The Cleveland and George Gund foundations today released a report, Cleveland Schools that are Making a Difference, which highlights 13 urban schools recognized by independent researchers for inspired leadership, thoughtful curriculum, innovative instructional practices and well-cultivated community and parental involvement. Schools featured in the report are: * Louisa May Alcott (Cleveland Metropolitan School District – CMSD) * Citizens’ Academy (charter) * Cleveland School of the Arts (CMSD) * Benjamin Franklin (CMSD) * The Intergenerational School (charter) * Joseph Landis (CMSD) * Miles Park (CMSD) * Orchard School of Science (CMSD) * St. Francis (parochial) * St. Martin de Porres (private Catholic) * St. Thomas Aquinas (parochial) * SuccessTech (CMSD) * Urban Community School (private Catholic/Christian) In 2007, the foundations engaged independent researchers to provide tangible evidence that quality education can be — and has been — created in a cross section of schools located in the City of Cleveland. The goal of the project was to identify, describe and share best practices that exist within Cleveland’s traditional public, private, parochial and charter schools that make a positive difference in students’ achievement. To ensure independence and objectivity, the foundations contracted with the New York-based Institute for Student Achievement and the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University, to act as principal investigators. A local consulting firm, Candor LLC, provided analysis of student achievement data that was used to identify schools for this project. All 13 schools selected for this report met several key criteria: they were operating in the 2004-05 school year; the majority of students were economically disadvantaged; and they were demonstrating progress in student achievement gains as evidenced from state report card data, value-added student achievement data, standardized test scores and graduation rates. Researchers conducted site visits, reviewed data and interviewed students, teachers, principals and parents. They looked at six dimensions that research shows are critical factors in positively impacting student learning: shared vision; strong curriculum, quality and diverse instructional methods; use of multiple data types to drive instruction and student outcomes; presence of a nurturing, safe learning environment; and positive professional development opportunities for teachers and staff. Dr. N. Gerry House, a nationally recognized urban education leader who currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Student Achievement, said the report is unique for bringing together four types of schools — traditional public, private, parochial and charter — all serving the same student population. House spoke today at the Cleveland City Club, where the report was released. “We hope that others, both within and beyond Cleveland, will learn from what these schools do,” House said. The project evolved from the foundations’ larger strategy to help create a portfolio of new, excellent schools in Cleveland. Both the Cleveland and Gund foundations have dedicated substantial resources to support new schools in Cleveland. Foundation grants totaling $1.5 million have supported research, planning and start-up support for new schools in Cleveland, including the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine that opened in 2006, CMSD’s four single-sex elementary schools that opened in 2007 and two new science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) high schools scheduled to open this fall. The foundations granted another $1 million to open and staff the Office of New and Innovative Schools at CMSD, which will assume overall strategy and supervision of the District’s new opportunity schools, and have also supported various new Cleveland charter and private schools. Helen W. Williams, program director for education for the Cleveland Foundation, said that while Cleveland is fortunate to have the high-performing schools highlighted in the report, the list is by no means exhaustive; there are several other schools in Cleveland that could easily be recognized for their achievements. “This report shows that no single system or type of school — traditional public, private, parochial or charter — has a monopoly on effective education,” Williams said. “These 13 urban schools are remarkably similar in their commitment to and track record of making a significant difference in the lives of their students. “As the report illustrates, these schools share common attributes that explain their success — quality principals, teachers, curricula and school cultures.” Ann K. Mullin, senior program officer for The George Gund Foundation, said the intent of the study was to identify Cleveland schools that demonstrate successful outcomes for children. “There are great schools in Cleveland,” Mullin said. “We wanted to show that Cleveland parents have some high quality options for their children: schools where children and adults feel safe; where principals and teachers and parents all work together for the benefit of their students; where students are held to high expectations and are prepared to be successful in higher education, the workplace and as contributing members of the community.” The full report and executive summary are available on www.clevelandfoundation.org and www.gundfdn.org. ... Full report: http://www.clevelandfoundation.org/uploadedFiles/VitalIssues/PublicEducationReform/Cleveland%20Schools%20That%20Are%20Making%20a%20Difference%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf Executive summary: http://www.clevelandfoundation.org/uploadedFiles/VitalIssues/PublicEducationReform/Cleveland%20Schools%20That%20Are%20Making%20a%20Difference%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf
April 26, 200817 yr This is such great news. Man, even I thought every Cleveland school was terrible. It's great to hear that several are actually doing very well. There needs to be more great news like this.
April 28, 200817 yr This is such great news. Man, even I thought every Cleveland school was terrible. It's great to hear that several are actually doing very well. There needs to be more great news like this. I'm interested in knowing why you thought that all schools in the Cleveland were terrible? That's like saying that all schools in the suburbs are good. Seriously? You reasoning could be catalyst to investigate "misconceptions" in Cleveland.
April 28, 200817 yr Easy answer: he reads the PD. :) "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 19, 200817 yr I can't believe this hasn't been posted yet--Great news! :clap: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- New West Side school part of Cleveland district's $1.5 billion construction, renovation plan Posted by Tom Ott May 18, 2008 15:00PM Categories: Breaking News People clamoring for an additional high school on Cleveland's West Side apparently will get their wish -- it's just a matter of when. The new school, which would relieve overcrowding at John Marshall and Lincoln-West, is in revised plans for the school district's $1.5 billion construction and renovation program. The district will air the plans at community forums over the next two weeks, and the school board will vote on a final draft June 24. More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/05/new_west_side_school_part_of_c.html
May 31, 200817 yr District finishing up plans for STEM 9th-graders to focus on math, science Friday, May 30, 2008 Thomas Ott Plain Dealer Reporter The Cleveland school district has less than three months to finish planning two new cutting-edge high schools focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Before the schools open in August, officials have to hire the teachers and recruit more students. In one case, they have yet to complete negotiations for a building. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1212136403209960.xml&coll=2&thispage=1
June 4, 200817 yr This is great, but I hate the "impoverished" slant. The entire Glenville or Forest Hills areas are not impoverished...sheesh! Glenville's valedictorian earned diploma and associate's degree simultaneously Posted by Jesse Tinsley June 03, 2008 23:30PM Categories: Education Chris Stephens/The Plain Dealer Alexis Crosby earned both her high school diploma and associate's degree by attending Glenville High School and Cuyahoga Community College. One of Glenville High School's academic stars graduates today. Honor student Alexis Crosby, who's No. 1 in her class, will join 190 classmates as they receive diplomas at the ceremony at the Allen Theater. More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/06/glenvilles_valedictorian_earne.html :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
June 4, 200817 yr That's quite an accomplishment; clearly she should be proud. While I am glad to see Cleveland Public School System having successfull stories in regards to their students and cirriculum, the key in all of this is right here: Alexis, who has two younger sisters, was taught at home by her parents from the fourth through eighth grades. She had just finished third grade when her parents, Dorothea and Adam, grew unhappy with the curriculum and pulled her fromCatholic school. That's what we need more of in the Cleveland School District - responsible parents.
June 4, 200817 yr shs96 that could be said for any school system, however, I "get" where you are coming from. Stories like this put the naysayers at bay and leave them little wiggle room to say all kids in Cleveland are bad (you know how they blanket say "the entire eastside is dangerous") or not being prepared properly for their next phase in life. I wonder what school they were pulled from?
July 18, 200816 yr (I, for one, am very excited by this development. This is exactly what Cleveland needs .. encouraging people to obtain higher education to move them beyond where they are now. Great, great move. However, in a little additional blurb in the PD, it says that the student has to maintain at least a 1.5 GPA to continue receiving the money .. WHAT?!?) Cleveland, Tri-C Cuyahoga Community College full tuition Program offers 275 full tuition Friday, July 18, 2008 Thomas Ott Plain Dealer Reporter Nearly 300 new Cleveland school district graduates will receive a year's tuition to Cuyahoga Community College through a scholarship program announced Thursday by city and college officials. The Cleveland Scholarships for Education and Training program will provide up to $3,000 each to 275 of this year's graduates, enough to cover full-time annual tuition, fees and books. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1216369897243350.xml&coll=2
August 20, 200816 yr From cleveland.com: Cleveland schools to return to 'academic watch' Posted by Edith Starzyk August 20, 2008 08:53AM Categories: Breaking News Cleveland schools CEO Eugene Sanders will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. to share some bad news: Preliminary data shows that the district could drop in state rankings to academic watch, the equivalent of a "D" grade. More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/plaindealer/2008/08/cleveland_schools_to_return_to.html clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
August 20, 200816 yr The release also noted some good news for Cleveland in the report card data the state will release on Tuesday. The graduation rate of 61.9 percent is the highest ever for the district, and almost a 7 percent gain over last year. Highest ever? Huh? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 20, 200816 yr Huh, as in surprising, or huh as in "that's not accurate"? clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
August 20, 200816 yr The continues improvement v academic watch isn't really a good indicator of how the district (or any district) is doing. Remember, last year Lakewood meet 19 of thier indicators v CMSD which meet 4, yet both received the same rating of continues improvement. I call it vodo educational standards. I think raising the graduation rate up 9 points in one year is good progress. Don't get me wrong, 61% is still a terrible number, but you don't turn things around over night and from talking with many CMSD teachers, it seems like most people think the district is headed in the right direction. I think this article from a couple of days ago is a better signifier of what the real problems in the district (and all urban areas) are: Study: Cleveland schools overwhelmed CLEVELAND A study released Wednesday concludes the city school district is unable to keep up with students' mental-health problems and struggles to identify potentially violent kids. The district commissioned the research after 14-year-old Asa Coon opened fire last October at SuccessTech Academy. He wounded two teachers and two other students before killing himself. The report released by the American Institutes for Research in Washington said that staff and students struggle to connect. It also questioned the effectiveness of discipline policies and the professionalism of security officers. A research team interviewed more than 100 people, including school leaders and key community representatives, surveyed Cleveland students in grades 5 and up and made site visits to four Cleveland schools, including SuccessTech Academy. The study, which cost $337,000, called for better training a faculty that is nearly two-thirds white so that teachers more clearly understand the backgrounds of a student body that is two-thirds black. Cleveland's difficulties are similar to those of other urban and inner-ring suburban school districts, said AIR research scientist David Osher. http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=425758&Category=13&subCategoryID=
August 21, 200816 yr From the Cleveland Jewish News..every little bit helps: http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2008/08/19/news/local/fed0815.txt Federation expands Public Education Initiative Thursday August 21, 2008 The Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland has added a sixth site to its Public Education Initiative (PEI), which sends members of the Jewish community to Cleveland city schools as tutors. Students at the Entrepreneurship Preparatory School (E-Prep) will now have access to PEI tutors. PEI is already in operation at Buckeye-Woodland, Audubon, Bolton and Buhrer schools and the Juvenile Detention Center. While most PEI tutors help students improve their reading skills, tutors at E-Prep will receive special training to work with students in grades 6-8 in both math and reading. Created in 1999, PEI now coordinates over 200 tutors who commit to spending at least an hour a week during the school year serving more than 300 students.
September 10, 200816 yr Cleveland, East Cleveland high school seniors can learn to be paramedics, for free by Mark Puente Wednesday September 10, 2008, 4:19 PM CLEVELAND -- Cleveland EMS has openings for paramedics, and the city has partnered with the two school districts to offer training to high school graduates. EMS, along with Cleveland schools and East Cleveland schools, is offering basic emergency-medical technician training to 18-year-old high school seniors who are not going to college. The program is free to Cleveland and East Cleveland students, with the school districts paying for the required books. More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com/realtimenews/index.ssf/2008/09/cleveland_east_cleveland_high.html
October 6, 200816 yr Not the first time I've heard some variation on "cities are bad for children." That seems to be the cornerstone of the anti-urban argument. Do NYC, SF, Boston, etc produce no children at all? Maybe it was my growing up on Sesame St and Mr. Rogers that made me think cities were kid friendly. These days there are a lot of otherwise progressive people who firmly believe a child needs a fenced in 1/2 acre and nothing less.
October 6, 200816 yr While baby boomers do deserve most of the credit for the anti-urban mentality, this issue will not simply go away with the passing of them. They have planted their roots in the minds of many of their children unfortunately. An example is a young man (upper 20 something) I meet at a wedding this weekend who owned a condo in Mentor and worked doing IT at downtown Cleveland company. When I asked what he thought about his job, he replied he hated the traffic driving downtown and paying for parking. I asked why did he live all the way out in Mentor then? He said that he wanted to have kids someday and he also wanted to make money on his condo. Ignorance, complete ignorance.
October 6, 200816 yr Not the first time I've heard some variation on "cities are bad for children." That seems to be the cornerstone of the anti-urban argument. Do NYC, SF, Boston, etc produce no children at all? Maybe it was my growing up on Sesame St and Mr. Rogers that made me think cities were kid friendly. These days there are a lot of otherwise progressive people who firmly believe a child needs a fenced in 1/2 acre and nothing less. NYC definitely battles this problem, though, too .. in terms of children being brought up in the city. While it's probably not as much of a problem, people leave the city in droves when it comes to raising a family.
October 6, 200816 yr While baby boomers do deserve most of the credit for the anti-urban mentality, this issue will not simply go away with the passing of them. They have planted their roots in the minds of many of their children unfortunately. An example is a young man (upper 20 something) I meet at a wedding this weekend who owned a condo in Mentor and worked doing IT at downtown Cleveland company. When I asked what he thought about his job, he replied he hated the traffic driving downtown and paying for parking. I asked why did he live all the way out in Mentor then? He said that he wanted to have kids someday and he also wanted to make money on his condo. Ignorance, complete ignorance. That's something that is changing, but change will be slow. Just in the past five years in Ohio City, that change is pretty evident. Lots of families are having kids and deciding to stay in the neighborhood. It will take a lot more before any significant change is felt city-wide, but the ball is rolling.
October 6, 200816 yr mj1403, I am just curious as to how many kids you have, and if you have any, where do you send them to school? I think it is a VERY valid arguement about children and the city of Cleveland. Not every city has such crappy schools as Cleveland. I know I would never send my children to Cleveland public schools in the state they are in now, and I will not be the experiment to see IF things turn around. As for private schools, not everyone has the money for them. So what are your choices? I can understand why someone would want their tax dollars going to a public school system that you can actually send your children to. It's not a matter of raising children in the city, it's a matter of raising children in a city that has a decent educational system. You think that is ignorance?
October 6, 200816 yr mj1403, I am just curious as to how many kids you have, and if you have any, where do you send them to school? I think it is a VERY valid arguement about children and the city of Cleveland. Not every city has such crappy schools as Cleveland. I know I would never send my children to Cleveland public schools in the state they are in now, and I will not be the experiment to see IF things turn around. As for private schools, not everyone has the money for them. So what are your choices? I can understand why someone would want their tax dollars going to a public school system that you can actually send your children to. It's not a matter of raising children in the city, it's a matter of raising children in a city that has a decent educational system. You think that is ignorance? I have two kids. They will attend Urban Community School. Have you not heard of this school?
October 6, 200816 yr mj1403, I am just curious as to how many kids you have, and if you have any, where do you send them to school? I think it is a VERY valid arguement about children and the city of Cleveland. Not every city has such crappy schools as Cleveland. I know I would never send my children to Cleveland public schools in the state they are in now, and I will not be the experiment to see IF things turn around. As for private schools, not everyone has the money for them. So what are your choices? I can understand why someone would want their tax dollars going to a public school system that you can actually send your children to. It's not a matter of raising children in the city, it's a matter of raising children in a city that has a decent educational system. You think that is ignorance? I admit I have no kids. Okay, maybe the use of the term complete ignoarance was a little harsh, but I was responsing more to the mentality of the man that thought the suburbs were the ONLY place he could get a good return on his condo and his future kids could get a good education. Cleveland certainly has it's problems with it's school system but what about inner-ring suburbs like Cleveland Heights, Shaker, Lakewood, etc...? This man thought that he had to go all the way out to Mentor to find what he was looking for. That I do think is ignorant.
October 6, 200816 yr I don't have any kids and saying that all Cleveland schools are crappy is a cop out. If I had kids their butts would be in Public School. It was good enough for me and it's good enough for my potential offspring! sir2gees, your parents aren't the only ones that think that way. My mother would never leave the 'burbs if she didn't have to. It's scary.
October 6, 200816 yr MTS, What shocked me was their response. My parents raised me to be progressive and different. My parents always told me to think outside of the box. Compared to most of my friends, my parents were really cool. Growing up we traveled all around the country. One of my dad's favorite city is Toronto. Every summer we would drive to Toronto, and walk up and down Yonge and Bloor, and everytime my dad would say "man I wish we had something like this in Cleveland." So, their response just didn't make sense.
October 7, 200816 yr I don't have any kids and saying that all Cleveland schools are crappy is a cop out. If I had kids their butts would be in Public School. It was good enough for me and it's good enough for my potential offspring! It's more than just a cop out, it's just plain wrong. I went to public school in both Cleveland and the suburbs (relatively recently,) and I can say from experience that there are city schools and programs that are just as good or better than their suburban counterparts. Making blanket statements about a school district that has over a hundred schools and over 50,000 students from all kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds in 36 very different neighborhoods is absurd. I have found that most people who make such statements are just parroting what "everybody knows" because they are indeed ignorant in the truest sense of the word- they have a lack of personal experience, and therefore a lack of knowledge of what's actually available from the school district.
October 7, 200816 yr Amen Confiteordeo, Amen! Also, to say or think, that every child enrolled in say Beachwood, Solon, Chagrin, Westlake, Rocky River school districts excels is absurd. I'm sure those school have their share of failing students and delinquents. However, you'll never hear about them. You know damn well they will cover that up. My cousins kids attend Beachwood schools and they have a gang watch. All that glitters ain't gold. They also have some of the most belligerent and rude children you could ever meet.
October 7, 200816 yr ^ The City schools and their programs are just as good or better than their suburban counterparts? Really? So the fact that Cleveland Public Schools are rated near the bottom in every category is somehow a conspiracy by the state against Cleveland? I am a city employee, I see the schools and problems that are there. I went to public school in Medina County, got an excellent education, participated in good athletic programs, didn't fear physical violence in or around my school, went on to college and graduated with a degree in education...end even went on to be a sub in CPSD. All these experiences combined are why my father has my stepson during the schoolyear in Medina county. My wife, who moved here almost two years ago from NYC (Queens) was appalled by the ratings of the Cleveland Public Schools. Her son went to public schools in Woodside, Queens. As far as he is concerned, he LOVES his new school. He goes to a school which was rated "excellent" by the state, has good athletic programs, and most important feels safe at school. Raising a child in the city can be a great experience, but not the ONLY experience. We, as a family, like Cleveland. Hell, his "urban" experience of living in NYC is greater than even that of Cleveland. He misses some things about urban living, but he honestly says he would never want to go back to school in the city. As far as the "they were good enough for me" argument goes...for MY children, I don't want what was good enough for me...I want better.
October 7, 200816 yr I said that there are schools within the CPS that are just as good as their suburban counterparts. For me, a Shaker Grad, I got an excellent education. I graduated at the top of my class at Shaker and Ohio State. So, for me, "what is good enough for me", is good enough for my nephews, nieces and potential children. Your stepsons, experience is not every family/child's experience. You wife is appalled by the ratings of the CPS compared to the NYCPS? Thats her opinion, and it's laughable to me. Just because his school is rated excellent, does that mean every child excels? No. Just because his school has good athletic programs, is every student a good athlete or do the field teams with above average athletic skills? No. Just because his school appears safe, is 100% safe. No.
October 7, 200816 yr I said that there are schools within the CPS that are just as good as their suburban counterparts. For me, a Shaker Grad, I got an excellent education. I graduated at the top of my class at Shaker and Ohio State. So, for me, "what is good enough for me", is good enough for my nephews, nieces and potential children. Your stepsons, experience is not every family/child's experience. You wife is appalled by the ratings of the CPS compared to the NYCPS? Thats her opinion, and it's laughable to me. Just because his school is rated excellent, does that mean every child excels? No. Just because his school has good athletic programs, is every student a good athlete or do the field teams with above average athletic skills? No. Just because his school appears safe, is 100% safe. No. As a grad student at Case, I mentor high school students from the CMSD (the ones I worked the most closely with went to Glenville). Beyond having the opportunity to do research with us, they also have an opportunity to get into the math and science track, which, if they complete it, earns them an associates degree from Tri-C before they even graduate from high school. I went to a private high school, and I didn't even have access to such programs! It's all about what the students and parents make of it. I've noticed that if the individual students don't put forth the effort to get into these programs, the education and study skills they receive still has a bit left to be desired, but I don't think that it's any worse than what my suburban public school friends got. It's all about taking advantage of opportunities presented to you, and in the CMSD, there are plenty, and the number is growing by the day.
October 7, 200816 yr This ratings crap is garbage. If a kid is smart and has a good influence at home, he or she will excel pretty much anywhere. There are ample opportunities in the CMSD just as there are in suburban districts. The ratings simply reflect the socioeconomics of the students, and that has little bearing on how your student will do.
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