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"I feel the PURE Reform website sould not promote ANY A+ school event or meetings. I feel it is promoting them. I think PURE reform needs to remain netural. "
Still there is some useful information to be gleaned at the A+ meetings. We could add a disclaimer that PURE Reform does not endorse or promote A+ Schools.
A+ is also the organization that puts out THE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY due soon for 2007-2008. I think it is actually wise to include the availability of the A+ website as a resource for parents. The online version of the report contains more detail than the booklet. If I remember correctly stuff like the number of reportable incidents and stability of staff are on the internet version.
I agree that PURE reform should not be endorsing A+ schools meetings. But I do think that it worthwhile monitioring these meetings so that we have a whole picture of what goes on in the district. Some type of disclaimer on the PURE Reform website would be appropriate.
Keep in mind that A+ was born from the Mayor's Task Force on Public Education and origianlly felt more like a watchdog than a PPS partner. A+ is also not just in existence for the benefit of urban public ed, if I understand its purpose all public ed within our region. I know before Roosevelt A+ was prepared to file against PPS in court to get information released that was needed to do the first report to the community. Roosevelt came and gave the data and avoided the bad PR of a lawsuit. A disclaimer is a good idea and each referenced agency should be considered individually. I learned some of what is mentioned above prior to the start of a focus group meeting sponsored by A+ this summer. A= is not alwasys a cheerleader and is an objective voice.
I think it's hard for A+ to be a truly objective voice because it is funded by the foundations and the foundations made a decision to support Roosevelt. Even as other constituents have become disillusioned, the foundations have stuck with him. And the foundations in turn may find it difficult to be truly objective. The Pittsburgh Foundation for example will receive a substantial fee for administering the Pittsburgh Promise.
5 comments:
Still there is some useful information to be gleaned at the A+ meetings. We could add a disclaimer that PURE Reform does not endorse or promote A+ Schools.
A+ is also the organization that puts out THE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY due soon for 2007-2008. I think it is actually wise to include the availability of the A+ website as a resource for parents. The online version of the report contains more detail than the booklet. If I remember correctly stuff like the number of reportable incidents and stability of staff are on the internet version.
I agree that PURE reform should not be endorsing A+ schools meetings. But I do think that it worthwhile monitioring these meetings so that we have a whole picture of what goes on in the district. Some type of disclaimer on the PURE Reform website would be appropriate.
Keep in mind that A+ was born from the Mayor's Task Force on Public Education and origianlly felt more like a watchdog than a PPS partner. A+ is also not just in existence for the benefit of urban public ed, if I understand its purpose all public ed within our region. I know before Roosevelt A+ was prepared to file against PPS in court to get information released that was needed to do the first report to the community. Roosevelt came and gave the data and avoided the bad PR of a lawsuit. A disclaimer is a good idea and each referenced agency should be considered individually. I learned some of what is mentioned above prior to the start of a focus group meeting sponsored by A+ this summer. A= is not alwasys a cheerleader and is an objective voice.
I think it's hard for A+ to be a truly objective voice because it is funded by the foundations and the foundations made a decision to support Roosevelt. Even as other constituents have become disillusioned, the foundations have stuck with him. And the foundations in turn may find it difficult to be truly objective. The Pittsburgh Foundation for example will receive a substantial fee for administering the Pittsburgh Promise.
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