Obama vows to improve school dropout rate

[FBaggins]

No need to give the Washington Times any more advertising revenue (though the link is provided). I've experted the only important part below.

If there was any question remaining re: whether this is the administration's strategy (vs. just being a "Duncan thing" that would go away if we got rid of him) - this should answer it.

President Obama announced Monday a $900 million initiative to improve graduation rates in U.S. high schools -- including closing schools and firing principals.

"We will replace principals and half of the staff if a school continues to fail year after year," the president said at a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington.

...snip...

"He cited as an example a school board in Rhode Island that last week fired the faculty at Central Falls High School"

IOW... this isn't an anomaly... this is the plan.


http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/01/obama-vows-improve-school-dropout-rate/

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. If you want to decrease dropout rates, how about starting with NOT

shutting down urban schools?

How many kids drop out completely when their school closes and they have to travel outside their own turf to get to school? Even, or especially, kids with no gang affiliation can get into serious trouble by crossing neighborhood lines into or through gang territory. Rather than risk that on a daily basis, how many just quit?

Increase teacher pay. Improve infrastructure. Increase security. Reward achievement.

THAT is how you improve schools - not shutting them down.

[soleiri]

2. exactly

and how about smaller class sizes?
Instead of closing schools, open more schools.
My son's High School has over 3,000 student.
that's freaking ridiculous.
oh wait, that might not work with their plans to privatize the school system.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. That too.

(I can't believe I left that out - I've been hollering about that for years.)

Economies of scale work for WalMart, not for schools. Students are not products that you shove in one end and spit out at the other. ALL students need individual attention through their entire student careers, whether they are 'special needs', ordinary students or gifted - gifted students are no less likely to drop out than any other, only because they are not challenged, they are bored silly, and held back when they are mainstreamed.

And you simply cannot give that individual attention when you have 35 students in the classroom.

[mzteris]

4. you're in Raleigh -

so you know that class size - and TRAILERS! - are among the reasons that Charter public schools (and homeschooling!) are so popular in Wake County.

[Hannah Bell]

5. North Carolina: Take Action to Defend Education on March 4

Teachers, parents, students, and communities across the country are fighting back against attacks on primary and higher education:


- from massive education layoffs to inaction in the face of a crumbling public education infrastructure

- from reactionary movements to return to segregated schools to the creation of a class of children who cannot access education opportunities,

- to massive tuition and fee increases & budget cuts on the backs of university students, staff, and faculty


In response, coalition members and endorsers for the North Carolina May 4th Day of action are demanding:


Stop re-segregation of public schools in Wake, Wayne, and Wilmington!


Stop tuition and fee increases in the University of North Carolina system & increase financial aid opportunities for all students!


Stop teacher lay-offs – rehire all teachers laid-off in 2009 state budget cuts & increase education jobs!


Financial aid and in-state status for ALL immigrant NC residents now!



The economic crisis is coming down hard on public schools. While bankers, corporations, and the Pentagon received hundreds of billions in bail out money, our weakened public school system received only more blows.


Last year thousands of North Carolina public school teachers and staff were laid off a round of deep budget cuts.


The election of an ideological and conservative majority in a low-turnout election in Wake County now threatens to gut the county’s diversity policy in favor of so-called “neighborhood schools.” Wayne County and Wilmington are pursing similar reactionary measures.


Companies hired 22% fewer class of ’09 seniors, less than half of all graduates have found employment in their fields, and the unemployment rate for those 20-24 is between 30-35%. It is over 50% for youth of color.


In K-12, many youth of color are directly tracked to prison before graduation through the school-to-prison pipeline.


But in response:


· Teachers around the state rallied to stop these cuts and were able to push back legislation and save many jobs.


· The Wake County “Re-segregationist 5” are strongly opposed by the community, which is organizing, and threatening lawsuits and recalls.


· Undocumented students, who previously were barred from attending community colleges, won the ability to attend with out-of-state status. While this is a victory, out-of-state tuition rates are far beyond the reach of many immigrant students and they are still ineligible for financial aid.


In November 2009, students and teachers in California made a stand with actions around the state. California students took bold action and occupied their universities, held rallies, and took to the streets.


Throughout the week of March 4 – a call to defend education has come from communities across the country.


Join the teachers, students, education workers and community members across the country who are coming together for the March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education


Be a part of this movement – organize or participate in an action during the week of March 4!


For more information visit on actions or if you are interested in organizing an action at your school or campus, visit http://raleighfist.wordpress.com or contact 919-604-8167.



A Job and an Education are human rights
We Demand – Bail out the People, Not Banks and Corporations!

And Money For Human Needs, Not War!

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. If you want to lower the dropout rate, quit letting them drop out!

It's not that hard. Blows my mind that raising the age they can drop out to 18 is never suggested. I guess firing people is all they can think of. :crazy:

[mzteris]

7. in some states

you can't get - or keep - your driver's license if you're under 18 and not in school. Good idea but not a panacea.

The real problem, as I see it though, is that many kids "drop out" even though they're still going to school.

We need to ENGAGE them and help kids understand the importance of an education.

It's really difficult when the guy standing on the corner making thou$sand$ selling drug doesn't have a highschool education and the neighbor who has a college degree is working for minimum wage at some dead-end job.

[Hannah Bell]

8. firing teachers certainly demonstrates the importance of education !