NBC series causes upset toward local charters. "Class Warfare, McKeel Academy edition"

[madfloridian]

I wrote about a school board member who watched the Education Nation series, and it made him upset because he knew why charter schools were scoring so well.

He knew as we all do that the local charter schools and magnet schools keep extremely high scores because they get rid of anyone who doesn't score well. Then they attack the public schools in an ugly way.

FL school board member demands that charters account for kids sent back to public schools.

School Board member Frank O’Reilly wants district official to start tracking how many students are transferred from charter schools to public schools as a result of their grades, social economic status or behavioral issues. During a work session this morning, O’Reilly read a letter sent by Harold Maready, superintendent of McKeel charter schools, to a parent about their third grader who flunked the FCAT.

“Your child does not meet the criteria to be a McKeel student,” O’Reilly read.

If public schools were to reject students based on their academic performance, then they could be A schools, too, O’Reilly said.

“We must take every child that comes through that door whether we like it or not,” O’Reilly said. ‘‘That is a public school paid by taxpayers’ dollars, and I like to remind Mr. Maready of that.”

Well, Mr. Maready of McKeel Academy got his nose a little bit out of joint, and a writer with local ties stepped up the rhetoric against his elite attitude.

Class Warfare, McKeel Academy Edition

He quotes Mr. Maready:

Maready said there needs to be drastic changes made in education, just as the MSNBC program pointed out.

“Analysis of the data would allow for an open forum to work together in solving the education issues in Polk County,” he said. “If we do not recognize there is a problem, then there cannot be a solution.”

Seems that NBC's series empowered the elites in charter school management to gloat just a little bit more than usual.

The writer blasts him.

Let me translate that answer into big boy speak: "You’re damn right we dump our difficult kids. In great numbers. And we’ll do it again. That’s our culture of achievement. And then we’ll brag about how different we are from traditional schools. Oh, and the magnet schools do it, so there."

How many dumped kids are we talking about? And who are they? Well, check out this sheet produced by the School District. Pay particular attention to the table at the top outlining transfer figures for the three McKeel schools. In McKeel Academy, the junior-senior high in Lakeland with 1,042 students, 130 students left for regular Polk School District schools in the 2009-2010 school year. That’s 12.5 percent of its enrollment. South McKeel Academy, a K-7, rid itself of 77 kids, about 7 percent of its enrollment. That’s in a mostly elementary school, where kids are generally easier to deal with and American schools generally do pretty well.

Maybe their parents got a letter like the one Frank read at the School Board Meeting, stating, “Your child does not meet the criteria to be a McKeel student.”

The writer makes a startling comment.

I hear now that the McKeel empire is trolling local private schools – perhaps a Catholic school or two – for their best students and jumping them ahead of the large wait list for the plebes. The recruiting pitch, I hear, is hey, you get an exclusive private school for free. Please someone deny this on the record so I can go track it down. Because I’d like to.

See there? That is the natural outcome of making a high stakes test the most important thing of all. The fight for high-scoring students is on, and true in-depth learning goes out the window.

I know that the arrogance behind Education Nation made me angry, truly angry. I am thinking it might have had the same effect on more people than I realized.

So to Frank O'Reilly and Billy Townsend, a big thumbs-up and kudos.

[madfloridian]

1. Be sure to read the comments at the 2nd link.

Not very nice.

[rurallib]

2. Saw one segment of that series

wow - so biased

[madfloridian]

16. I could not bring myself to watch.

It would have been too painful.

[traceydouglas]

44. And on the closing panel of Education Nation

only two 'teachers' included and these were TFA 'teachers'. What a joke this privatizer propaganda piece this was. NBC should be ashamed for its lack of fair and balanced reporting not to mention complete absence of fact-checking.

[KeepItReal]

3. Someone said if Charters are so great, why don't they *only* take the poorest performers?

"Good" students would then thrive in the regular schools, right?

[Supersedeas]

9. if good students could thrive in regular schools then they could place 100% of the blame on

public school teachers

Anyways, the profit motive is the real root of the push for reform.

[Bozita]

4. Perhaps the test scores of the kids shipped back could be counted as charter scores

Once a kid shows up on the rolls of a charter, the charter assumes that kid's test scores, regardless of where that kid finishes the year.

Then we'd see just how accepting these charters truly are.

[madfloridian]

11. Good idea.

But I doubt they would do it. :hi:

[KakistocracyHater]

17. with teachers getting publicly "graded" I think they may now be more

interested in tracking that particular number, even if they have to do it on their own time & dime. After all, they're getting fired now, it's more immediate. The Teachers' Union doesn't have a Youtube channel? I think the Internet gives people a way to speak face to face & it may be a good route for vital info.

[Starry Messenger]

5. *blinks*

12.5 percent? Whoa. That's four entire classrooms worth of kids to reabsorb, presumably in mid-year. And then people wonder why the public scores wobble around? That's insane.

[SoCalDem]

7. And those kids return to public school as "losers".. kids who could not cut it

That has to affect them in many ways.. When they were "chosen" they probably felt great and may have been envied by the peers they "left behind"..and now they are back, tails-between-their-legs.. The re-entry cannot be easy at school or at home for them..

[madfloridian]

10. The re-entry is very hard. I had to deal with it often before I retired.

The kids would come back to us feeling like failures. Most of them were smart and capable to begin with, but were unable to cope for some reason. I remember one boy in my 4th grade. He came back to me from an academy similar to the one in this article. His mother contacted me ahead of time that we had some ego building to work on. We really did. Together we succeeded.

He had been a straight B student before he went to the academy, but he had to work to get back there. Self-confidence means so much in school. They took that away from him.

[laughingliberal]

6. Big K & R! nt

[madfloridian]

8. Here's the link to the jpg chart mentioned in the 2nd article.

I tried to incorporate it into the OP, but it simply would not link.

Some very interesting info there.

On Edit...first it showed, now it doesn't. If you want to look at the chart, which is very interesting, go to this link.

http://www.lakelandlocal.com/2010/09/class-warfare-mckeel-academy-edition/

:shrug:

[Pisces]

12. You still continue to ignore that fact that we have kids that are considered

throw aways. No one is stepping up to fix it and now that some are we are attacking them. No one is suggesting that every area needs a charter school, but the inner city schools that are struggling
may need a radical shift in how the schools are run to ensure success. Stop spinning this into a us vs them and maybe you can think about poor, inner city kids that may need a new approach to survive in tomorrows world. Everyone is not against you. I am not against public education.

Every single post on education is filled with your anger towards a different method. Is there any of the ideas that you like? Is there any merit in boarding school teaching, or longer school day, or longer
school year in areas that need extra help?

[madfloridian]

13. I and many others often "stepped up to fix it". Obama made it "us vs them"

Not me.

Every single post of yours is berating me for being angry about our president is doing to public education.

You twist and turn my posts in what you want them to mean.

No kid was EVER EVER considered a "throw away" by me or any other teacher I know about.

You use right wing and reformer terms so freely. I have seen many different methods throughout my career. I adapted, used, did what I was ordered to do.

Yes, I am very angry over this destructive arrogant attitude toward education shown by this administration.

So you just keep right on putting me down and talking down to me.

It is really really really making me feel so much more supportive of a party that is harming teachers. And that my friend was sarcasm.

[Pisces]

14. Why do you think this is a personal attack on you. I am sure that you were or are a great teacher.

That does not diminish the fact that we are not educating our inner city children adequately. Again this is not about you. I do not use right wing talking points, and if I have talked down to you it is only
after a contentious exchange with you.

I never said you consider kids throwaways, but our society has accepted that some kids are just out of luck. Now we have some action and proof that these schools are working. The SEED schools do
not throw out poor performing kids.

I ask the question again > Is there no merit in the SEED schools that you can agree to? And what about the charter school teachers, are you against them for teaching at a charter??

[madfloridian]

15. I have never even mentioned SEED schools.

Don't worry, there won't be any more "contentious exchanges." Feel free to say whatever you wish to me as I won't see it.

If I talked to others here like you have to me, I would be called down about it.

So do your thing.

[rpannier]

20. My suggesting is actually funding schools rather than underfunding them and the giving charters the

Keys to the Kingdom

I live overseas (Korea) my kids are educated here.
There is NEVER any talk about cutting education money because if you do, you will NEVER get elected/re-elected to ANYTHING (doesn't matter what the level)
People in Korea, Japan, Finland (The Top 3 school systems in the world) all value education -- something I'm sorry to say, Americans do not.
In addition to schools, we spent an inordinately large amount of money on tutors, academies, etc for almost every subject. There are History academies, math, English, Korean/Japanese, etc everywhere -- we have art academies.
It got so bad in Japan, that several years ago the education ministry in Japan prohibited Japanese public elementary schools from giving out homework.

Parents in America (and American society in general) look toward others for the problems of their children.
Countries like Japan, Korea, etc see children as an investment in the future of society and the family.

Until you fix the problem that American society has with regard to their personal values about education, the rest will always be irrelevant.
I don't know how many times I heard from people how private school teachers really cared about the kids because they worked for less money. While public school teachers just wanted the vacations and high salaries.
Public school teaching is infinitely more difficult than private schools and the teachers get zero respect from the public. Thank you Bush, Reagan, Bush and Clinton.

To answer your last question (from my perspective). I see no special values in charters. They are often privately owned and they are being used by wealthy people to rake in even more money and weaken unions. The money this administration throws at charter schools should be used on actually adequately funding public schools.
As to the teacher, it depends on the teacher and the circumstances.

[Blue_Tires]

34. excellent points...

[olegramps]

23. You are full of it.

The major factor in why MINORITY kids are failing is POVERTY. In our metropolitan city the test scores for the schools that are predominately in minority neighborhoods are the ones in trouble. It is not a coincidence that 90% of the kids in these schools qualify for free or reduced lunch programs. I was watching a program that discussed another aspect of the problem. In minority neighborhoods it is rare that a major change grocery store will locate in these neighborhoods and they have to rely on small stores that don't offer a variety of healthy food.

[Hannah Bell]

21. National study found 38% of charters perform worse than comparable public schools & only 17%

better; the rest the same.

The same kids are still the throw-aways.

Ed deform ain't about reform or helping throw-away kids. To the extent it does, it's incidental to the real purpose.

The people pushing & funding this don't give a damn about anyone's else's kids; I wish people would get that through their heads.

[LWolf]

25. She's not ignoring "throwaways."

She's pointing out that Charters are "throwing away" those students who might make them look bad, while real public schools absorb them, serve them, and are excoriated for it when they don't appear to be doing as well.

Boarding school teaching? I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that, or what it would accomplish.

Longer day? Only if that longer day were to include time to complete homework, tutoring and enrichment opportunities, and ensure that students are getting frequent breaks for physical activity. With the longer day staffed by others. I already spend 10 - 12 hours a day at school for a traditional student day. I don't need more duties, and more time, assigned.

Longer year? A little. 190 - 200 days, perhaps. I'd rather see a single-track, year-round calendar. Not necessarily more days, but shorter, more frequent breaks to prevent burnout and increase retention, decrease the time needed for re-teaching.

The real issue is that all of the ideas are coming from politicians and the billionaires who pay them. Teachers' ideas aren't heard, and are certainly not enacted or funded. We certainly SHARE those ideas often enough, but the nation, especially those who actually enact and fund policy, are selectively deaf.

Here are some that Madflo and I have discussed on numerous occasions:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=219&topic_id=26493

[chimpymustgo]

26. " The real issue is that all of the ideas are coming from politicians and the billionaires who pay

them."

That's what NBC's "Education Nation" made clear. It was a frightening spectacle.

[LWolf]

27. It was.

Is this REALLY the direction the nation wants to go?

[Jax]

18. kick. thanks madfloridian for keeping it real

with facts.

:thumbsup:

[rpannier]

19. I have a friend who teaches in Indiana

Once you take the test at a particular school, their score belongs to that school.
So, if I take the state test at Lynchmoor Charter School and fail and they kick me out
When I take the test again, if I fail it still reflects on Lynchmoor, not on the new school

[firgad]

22. Beginning of year benchmark test

What you say is accurate, however, struggling students will be identified through testing at the beginning of the school year. If a certain level is not attained by the student, the admin believes the child has no chance of passing. Then they would be sent back before the actual test occurs. Let us also not forget that if the child is sent back after six weeks in the charter school, all of the funding for that student stays with the charter school. It does not return to the public school with them; another dirty trick.

[madfloridian]

30. You are right about the funding. Many districts have no formula for retuning funds to schools.

Which means the public school gets the kids back but not the money in many cases.

[Turbineguy]

24. I guess then the larger question is this:

Is the educational system so far down that this approach represents an overall improvement?

I find that hard to believe.

[madfloridian]

28. Oh, wow, Townsend responds in the comments..a beautiful thing to read.

A couple of folks were continuing the bad public school talking point while ignoring the points the writer made about dumping kids. He responds in the comments.

http://www.lakelandlocal.com/2010/09/class-warfare-mckeel-academy-edition/

"Nothing funnier than incompetent shirkers talking personal responsibility. As far as I’m concerned, you can dump as many kids as you want — just take responsibility for their scores. Don’t dump your failures on someone else. If you can’t reach 12 percent of an “elite” student body, you suck as a school staff. Sorry.

And Tim, I want to thank you because you’ve hit the nail exactly on the head. What Harold Maready has built is an exclusive, wealthy school that kicks out kids that don’t really fit with its image. It’s school as gated community. But we have a name for for that already: a private school.

And as you say, that’s exactly what you’re looking for. I’m sorry you can’t afford to pay for private school for your kids. Neither can I. But part of the bargain of letting taxpayers pay for the elite education you want is that riff raff get to participate as well. I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, because your comment was nice in tone.

But I want you, just like Lee, to say: “I, Tim, think one publicly-funded school should be allowed to dump responsibility its problems student – all 12 percent of them – on other schools, who then have to be accountable for them while McKeel gets to talk about how wonderful it is. That’s how schools should be run.”

Amen.

[madfloridian]

29. Mr. Maready digs the hole deeper....says they are not "equipped" to serve all students.

Well, guess what? They are getting taxpayer money, so they better figure out how to "equip" themselves. From an interview in which he tries to put McKeel schools in a good light.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20101001/NEWS/10015007/1410?Title=Maready-Defends-McKeel-s-Policies

"Maready acknowledges students are dismissed for failing the test.

"If we didn't have a waiting list, we would keep them," he said.

McKeel has a waiting list of 4,500 students for 2,500 slots, Maready said.

Students who don't meet McKeel's expectations are transferred to schools within their home districts.

"We are not equipped to serve all kids," Maready said. "Do you keep a child who is failing in your school when you've tried remediation? You look at that and you try to do what's best for the kids. We have limited resources."

THEY have limited resources? Well, I hate to tell him that public schools have even fewer resources much of the time.

If you are going to get public money and declare yourself a public school, you doggone well better have resources since you are taking money from public schools that must keep the kids you kick out.

[daleanime]

31. I am so damn tried of kids....

being treated like products.:grr:

[madfloridian]

32. Amen.

For sure.

[freebrew]

33. This needs to go viral.

n/t

[bitown1]

35. Thanks and a McKeel follow

Appreciate the love. I'm Billy Townsend.

Thought you might want to see my follow up today. I should say that I am completely neutral in the charter wars. Some work. Some don't. But I don't believe in educational triumphalism and dishonesty. And I think dumping kids is prehas the vilest thing a school can do.

http://www.lakelandlocal.com/2010/10/the-mcdump-empire-public-education-as-gated-community/

[madfloridian]

36. Why, thank you for noticing. As a retired teacher I detest dishonesty...

in the guise of reform that really is not reform. There are some good folks involved with the McKeel group, but there are far more good folks in public education there.

I have been fighting these dishonest reforms the best I can with words, and this Education Nation sent me over the top.

So glad to see someone call out Maready. Yay! You probably made some people really mad, but don't worry about it. I do that every day here now.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

37. Oh BTW I posted Maready's comment from today's Ledger already.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9230280&mesg_id=9235537

Before noon today I posted it...I mean how dare he?

""We are not equipped to serve all kids," Maready said. "Do you keep a child who is failing in your school when you've tried remediation? You look at that and you try to do what's best for the kids. We have limited resources."

THEY have limited resources? Well, I hate to tell him that public schools have even fewer resources much of the time.

If you are going to get public money and declare yourself a public school, you doggone well better have resources since you are taking money from public schools that must keep the kids you kick out.

[madfloridian]

38. Here is the latest response to the McKeel excuses, via Lakeland Local.

http://www.lakelandlocal.com/2010/10/the-mcdump-empire-public-education-as-gated-community/

[county worker]

39. I have a question and it is based on my idea that the main problem with education

in this country is that for one reason or another parents are not playing a big enough roll in their children's education. What I mean is that many parents treat education as a service they pay for. They feel that they send their kids to school and it is the school's responsibility to return to them a well educated kid no matter how many hours they spend involved in their kids education. I know there are circumstances where parents have to work so many hours that they don't have the time to spend but there are others who have the time but don't.

Many kids do not realize their potential because they never spend time with roll models or mentors who inspire them to do what they never would have dreamed of doing themselves. I am talking about how wealthy parents just assume their kids are going to college and many poor parents do not. Again I understand the circumstances, I am not finding fault just stating the facts as I see them.

I get my ideas from being a student, a foster parent and from knowing teachers.

So my question is this. If you are an involved parent and your kid suffers in school because other parents are not involved should you be permitted to place you kid in a school funded by taxes where parents are required to be involved?

[madfloridian]

41. I think it is wrong to give public taxpayer money to privately run schools.

That is the very bottom line for me. As a teacher, I could not afford to send my own kids to private schools. I would never ever in this world have expected taxpayers to do it for me.

I was in the public school systems for over 30 years. Most of the years I got parents involved because I kept calling and doing home visits if necessary. They appreciated it and usually became cooperative.

Involved parents should feel free to send their kids to whatever school they wish. But not with taxpayer money.

This new deal about "choice" being so important is really truly a code for privatization without saying so out loud.

[county worker]

42. How do you help kids who's parents don't have the time to spend with them?

I understand what you are saying in your post. I think a lot of kids could go on to be more than they might because of not having the right mentor or stimulation.

My example was that I was one of about 10 kids picked out of high school sent to NCR to learn how to operate the first computers back on the 60's. My parents were poor factory workers and never encouraged me to be any more then they were. My dad's words to me was that "you get a job on the line, get married and have kids, buy a house and a new car every three years and that's all you can expect out of life." I think that if I had parents who could have understood the opportunity I had they would have encouraged me to make something of it. I also had a scholarship to an IBM college and dropped out.

So many kids in poor households have abilities that will never be realized because like me they are never encouraged to be anything more then what there parents are. I have a friend who is on welfare and so are her kids and grand kids. The kids are not dumb or anything, just that welfare is all they've known and expect that life is living on welfare.

I sometimes think as should have kibbutz like in Israel to raise kids who are disadvantaged.

[madfloridian]

43. How can a charter help kids like that more than public schools?

Especially if they kick them back to the public school if they don't score well?

[bushisanidiot]

40. Excellent point! Private and public schools are apples and oranges.

It's like comparing a professional sports team to a neighborhood pick up game. Well, not really.. but you get my point.