Single gender education in PPS

PG article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10176/1068097-53.stm


The administration is quoted as stating that an experiment last year with single gender classes at Westinghouse, Peabody and Milliones drew "not a single complaint from a parent or student." However, others have told us of parents who did object. And, because families were not informed that they had a right to co-ed classrooms, they were unlikely to make that request.

It may well be that rather than objecting, a Westinghouse area student who is not enthusiastic about a single gender, 6-12, year round school with uniforms will just shift to a school in Wilkinsburg or Penn Hills, since there is already a lot of movement between these schools.

CTE Academy

There's going to be a Career and Technical Academy in Pittsburgh! According to materials from the Education Committee presentation (slide 39), in addition to the information technology, cosmetology, culinary arts and health careers programs offered elsewhere, it will also offer building trades such as carpentry, electricity and energy.

But it won't be called a CTE academy- it will be the "Gateway Center" at Oliver. And unless plans change, only students in the Oliver feeder can attend (in fact, students in the Oliver feeder not accepted into a magnet must attend and choose a career concentration).

Feeder pattern w/ open enrollment

On the May "Start a new post," Annette Werner wrote:

At today's education committee meeting, one board member had an interesting idea: to the extent there is space in a school, why not open enrollment to others in the district?

The point was made that Milliones is a feeder pattern school with open enrollment to the extent there is space; why not do the same with other schools in the district?

June 21, 2010 11:27 PM

School reconfiguration presentation

Monday June 21 at 5:30, BoE building.

Written materials on the plan will not be made public until AFTER the meeting- preventing members of the public from asking Board members to raise questions and concerns about the proposal at Monday's meeting.

Lack of evidence of real deliberation at the Board level

From another post:

Anonymous said...
Experienced Educator recommends reading Education Week:

ttp://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/06/01/33tap.h29.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/06/01/33tap.h29.html&levelId=2100

Please READ the Front and Back page Articles in last week's EDUCATION WEEK____ June 9, 2010
VOL.29 NO 33

Very interesting and revealing as it provides alternate perspectives to the PPS/EET, Gates Foundation. and Broad Foundation Initiatives:

Front Page: "Merit-Pay Model Pushed by Duncan Shows No Achievement Edge" and " Student Progress No Better in Chicago Schools Using TAP (Teacher Advancement Program) by Stephen Sawchuck

Back Page: "Rethinking Teacher Accountability--Before It's Too Late" by James W. Stigler (UCLA-Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching)

edweek.org
ttp://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/06/01/33tap.h29.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/06/01/33tap.h29.html&levelId=2100

June 18, 2010 3:53 PM
Questioner said...
It sure would be nice to have a Board that shows some sign of having read articles like this and to hear deliberations on these issues. Too often what we see in Board discussions is a grab bag of comments and questions, with little discusson or debate about important underlying policy.

June 18, 2010 4:07 PM
Anonymous said...
No disrespect to the Board members, but anyone can run for election. There aren't any requirements needed for the position; not even a HS diploma. And since most Board members have full time jobs, they most likely do not invest much time on issues.

June 18, 2010 4:54 PM
Anonymous said...
E.E. responds:
It is so disheartening and discouraging to become more and more aware of the lack of knowledge, insight, and the possibilities for true reform in our educational system that holds in its hands the future of Pittsburgh's children. (They don't know what they don't know.)

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Foundations could provide an OPEN EDUCATIONAL FORUM free to the public that examines more than one side of issues and innovations____some of which would remedy post haste the lack of achievement in PPS.

The Race in America Conference last week at Pitt did that in ways that could be TRANSFORMATIVE. Unfortunately, it was costly to attend even as a member of Pitt's faculty___and cost prohibitive for ordinary citizens.

Mark Roosevelt moderated one session which was incredibly dismaying; however, it did provide "excuses" for PPS lack of significant progress in education for African American students. YET, the session was followed by an African American professor who told us how to get the job done in no uncertain terms. It was sad that M.R was not in attendance and so few of PPS staff and Board were there to hear Dr. Pedro Noguero. He deserved a standing ovation!

June 18, 2010 5:02 PM

CEP being transformed

There does not seem to have been any sort of official announcement, but based on comments at this week's Agenda Review it appears that the CEP program is being changed to a dropout prevention program for the 2010-11 school year. Mark Brentley recommended that the district officially close the existing program rather than sliding into a new program. From the Agenda Review comments it was not clear if existing credit recovery locations are to be closed and consolidated at CEP.

Teachers voting on whether to accept new contract

From the PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10164/1065352-53.stm

Op Ed: "Students must be ready to learn"

Op Ed by Kathy Fine in today's PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10159/1063851-109.stm

New teachers' contract

From the PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10155/1063068-298.stm