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Sunday, November 22, 2009
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NEWS
Closing the Gap: Improving elementary and high schools Chart
| Students in Louisiana's public schools trail their counterparts in other states on many fronts. Addressing the problems can be complicated. Here are some of the challenges the state faces, what might be done to help and what stands in the way. | ||
| WHAT'S WRONG | WHAT MIGHT HELP | WHAT'S IN THE WAY |
| LOW ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT | ||
| Louisiana public school students perform poorly in academics by national standards. | More one-on-one adult help for children in early grades, such as the Everybody Reads program. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber has proposed hiring one-on-one tutors to work with at-risk children. | Cost. One-on-one tutors for all at-risk children in the Baton Rouge region alone would run $10 million - $30 million annually. With teachers in short supply, finding enough tutors could be difficult. |
| UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS | ||
| Since Hurricane Katrina, 20 percent of classes have been taught by teachers who aren't certified in the subjects they are teaching. | Higher pay for those willing to work in subjects or schools that need more teachers. Better teacher training and mentoring for several years. | Teacher unions oppose market-based compensation, arguing it is ineffective and leads to favoritism. Hefty bonuses might be needed to entice teachers into tough classrooms. And better training costs money. |
| POVERTY AMONG STUDENTS | ||
| Louisiana schools educate some of the poorest children in the nation, and poor students generally perform worse than wealthier ones. | Universal prekindergarten for 4-year-olds. Economic growth in the state would help ease poverty. | Reliance on federal money for pre-K funding and a shortage of space for the program. May need to start even younger. Poverty in general is a problem that is hard to tackle. |
| HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS | ||
| An estimated 40 percent of ninth-graders fail to go on to earn a high school diploma. | Create smaller high schools of 400 or fewer students so they aren't lost in the crowd. More adult mentors and coaches. | Small schools are expensive, vary in quality and lack some offerings of bigger ones. Volunteers are scarce, and hiring adult mentors could prove expensive. |
| GRADUATES ILL-PREPARED FOR JOBS | ||
| Employers complain that public high school graduates are poorly prepared for jobs academically and many lack motivation and reliability. | The state is defining what it means to be work-ready and is setting up high school courses accordingly. Another tack is a push for comprehensive school-to-work programs and character education. | Traditional high school education focuses little on developing basic job skills. School-to-work and character-ed programs are limited. Poverty and little adult guidance hurt school attendance and completion. |
| COLLEGE CREDIT IN HIGH SCHOOL | ||
| Louisiana ranks last nationwide in the percentage of students who earn college credit while still in high school. | Require high schools to offer a minimum number of classes leading to college credit and pay for more teacher training for such classes. | Competing funding priorities. Limited pool of students ready for such classes. Course fees discourage participation. Some colleges won't accept credits. |
| NEW ORLEANS SCHOOLS IN CRISIS | ||
| A chaotic takeover of the schools in New Orleans and an array of post-Katrina obstacles hinders education in the city. | New Superintendent Paul Vallas has a track record of success in Chicago and Philadelphia. Vallas plans small class sizes, extended days and better management of charter schools. | Shortage of housing and available teachers. Students with a multitude of academic and personal problems. A lack of community support. |
| INEFFECTUAL LEADERSHIP | ||
| A shortage of effective leaders at many schools and the retirement of traditional principals erodes leadership. | Continued overhaul of training programs to prepare principals for today's schools. | Lack of money for effective training and limited supply of dedicated individuals. |
| POOR WORKING CONDITIONS | ||
| Substandard facilities and students with a host of educational, medical and disciplinary problems discourages teachers. | Greater funding for school construction and maintenance. Placing social services in schools. | Small tax base for some school systems. Reluctance to fund school construction at state level. Resistance to pooling resources. |
| LACK OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT | ||
| Poor parental involvement undermines learning in school and dumps too much responsibility on teachers and administrators. | More parent liaisons and widespread training of parent leaders. Tax credits to businesses that let parents volunteer during work time. More services for adults at schools. | Poor and ill-educated parents. Teenage mothers and single-parent families limit involvement. Parents receive chilly reception from some educators. |
| PRIVATE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE | ||
| Highest private school attendance in the nation erodes support for public schools. | Improve public schools. Better marketing and outreach to parents selecting first schools for children. Greater choice, including expansion of popular programs such as Montessori and advanced courses. Better student discipline. | Strong Catholic tradition pulls families into private schools. Continued middle-class flight to suburbs. Shortage of money and space for specialized programs. Perceptions that schools are unsafe. |
