Posts Tagged magnet schools

Atlanta Schools Are Models of Reform

Everyday educators, whether they are teachers, administrators, or board members, are striving to improve the services they offer. Teachers attend in-service training; principals meet with other administrators in their district, state, or even the nation; and board members travel to see what other districts are doing right All with the intention of gleaning the best methods and practices for their own schools. Atlanta Schools are no exception. As of the 2006-07 school year, Atlanta Schools were made up of the following:

* Traditional schools (89) * Elementary schools (59) * Middle schools (16)

* High schools (14) * Nontraditional programs (2)* Charter schools (7)

* Adult learning centers (1) * APS Learning Institutes (99)*Title I Schools (89)

* Year-Round Schools (3) * Schools of Excellence (2) * Magnet Schools (7)

Atlanta Schools serve a large number of students. The enrollment for the past school year (2006-2007) was 49,392. The students of Atlanta Schools represent many diverse, ethnic groups:

* African-American 85.98% * American Indian/Alaskan .03%

* Asian .59% * Caucasian 8.37%

* Hispanic 4.10% * Multiracial .93%

The operating budget in the past school year was $582,839,767. Atlanta Schools employ a total of 6,536 employees. 3,465 of these are full-time teachers, 226 are members of the Student Support Staff. 1,900 of Atlanta Schools teachers hold advanced degrees, and another 42 have achieved National Board Certification. The beginning teacher salary for the ’05-’06 school year was $40,157.

Atlanta Schools have embraced many models of school reform, and have implemented them throughout the district, to serve individual areas as needed. Samples of these models are:

America’s Choice: This model enables all students to reach internationally benchmarked standards. Learning is focused on getting all students to standards, varying only the time and resources needed. Atlanta Schools teachers use prevention, early intervention and acceleration techniques, as needed.

Core Knowledge: This reform model provides Atlanta Schools students with a curriculum based on what every educated citizen should know and understand to function in an educated society.

Direct Instruction: Direct Instruction (DI) is a model for teaching reading in several Atlanta Schools that emphasizes well-developed and carefully planned lessons designed around small learning groups. Teaching tasks are clearly defined and prescribed. The philosophy is based on the theory that clear phonics instruction – eliminating misinterpretations – can greatly improve and accelerate learning.

International Baccalaureate: This Atlanta Schools program is in place to develop students who are critical and compassionate thinkers and who are informed participants in local and world affairs.

Making Middle Grades Work: This program is designed to give Atlanta Schools middle school students intensive attention to raise achievement through alignment of content and standards, high expectations, extra help and time, and engaging classroom practices.

Project GRAD: Targeted to Atlanta Schools high school students, this program helps raise achievement through family support, school discipline, college scholarship and emphasis on reading and math.

Talent Development: Atlanta Schools that are implementing this model are ones that have established a strong culture for learning, curricular innovations, advanced work, parent involvement and professional development.

Detroit Schools – Is the Motor City Heading for Disaster?

Ah, Detroit. While the smell of rubber and welding may no longer emanate through the air in this city of automotive manufacturing, the schools are still working to keep production up; the production of well-educated, successful members of society. In the last decade, Detroit Public Schools have lost more than 60,000 students. While much of this loss has been due to the city’s steadily declining population and shrinking birthrates, leaders of Detroit Schools also say that this is attributable to poaching from charter schools and neighboring public school systems.

Detroit Schools aren’t going down without a fight, however. They are teaming up with community organizations, parent groups and its unions in an aggressive effort to recruit and retain students. The declining student enrollment at Detroit Schools may also force the district to operate on a lower budget, and will most definitely cause cuts in per pupil funding.

School systems like Detroit Schools must adapt or die. We live in an ever-changing world, and this change must be carefully implemented in our schools; both in order to keep up with trends in education, and to ensure that students are well-educated and ready to enter the adult world of work. When a city like Detroit is losing population as well as facing a shrinking birthrate, it struggles for survival just as a fish does on the deck of a boat. Hopefully, Detroit Schools will not flounder around, but face their problems head-on with a well-thought out plan on how to turn things around.

One way that the Detroit Schools can affect this change is to offer unique programs of study to its students. Gone are the days when Detroit Schools children studied only the three Rs, Home Economics and Physical Education. Colleges and universities are demanding better-prepared students, and employers want new-hires to already possess some of the skills needed for the job. Magnet schools are an excellent way for Detroit Schools to offer these kinds of programs.

A Detroit Schools magnet program offers students the chance to work through school while concentrating on areas they are interested in. Montessori magnets are popular, as well as Performing Arts and Foreign Language. Students who are Gifted & Talented can attend magnet programs that cater to their needs. Students with exceptionalities can go to a magnet school that will address the physical as well as the educational needs they possess.

Detroit Schools offer several magnet schools, of which many are unique. Among these world-class programs are the Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School, Michigan’s only public school of its kind; Davis Aerospace, one of few college prep high schools in the country where students can obtain a pilot’s license; the Detroit School of the Arts, a multiple award winning performing arts high school; and Crockett Technical High School, a digital technology high school.