Monday, October 25, 2010

PPS enrollment drops 3.1%

From the PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10298/1097823-53.stm

32 comments:

Questioner said...

Last year when enrollment dropped only 2%, the fact that there was a 2% INCREASE in kindergarten enrollment was emphasized:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09293/1006841-298.stm

This year, however, there is a 2% DECREASE in kindergarten enrollment and kindergarten is not mentioned in PPS comments. Also no real explanation for the greater loss in enrollment this year over last year.

Anonymous said...

"Do we know where the kids who left went? The answer is no," said Mr. Roosevelt."

Why don't they ask parents why they are not reenrolling their children? If I was running the district I would want feedback on how to retain students.

We called to inform the district we were not enrolling, they said thanks for informing us. Nobody ever asked us why.

Kathy Fine said...

We asked the district 2 years ago if they were tracking families that left the district. they said not every family but that they were doing random samplings. At that time, no data from that sampling was available. We will ask again.

Reminds me of the assessment of parent engagement at the ALAs that we were told was being done. Months later we were told that no assessment was done.

Anonymous said...

PPS only discusses numbers that suit their needs/aka PR.

They also only release numbers they want to. Can you imagine or trust a "random" sample PPS conducted?

Looks like Mr. Roosevelt knew it was time to get out of Dodge.

Anonymous said...

I'd to know, Anonymous 1:49. Why did you pull your children out of the Pittsburgh Public Pchools?

Mark Rauterkus said...

Some kids choose to enter PPS at high school. So, how many? If some are not doing well in Baldwin and find a nice fit in a city school -- then those that do depart are even greater than expected.

Of interest, those that start PPS at 9th grade can get 75% of the money from the Pgh Promise upon graduation. That's generous too.

#3: For years, I've been saying that many pull out of PPS because of the opportunities (and lack of them) with after school programs at the high school level. This is a 'pet problem' of mine, no doubt. But I feel it is valid and part of the system-wide outward migration issues that confront our schools and city.

#4: Of course, getting yanked around isn't in favor as well. When that happens, people vote with their feet.

Anonymous said...

There is a serious decline in Academic Achievement over the past nine years. PPS High School DATA shows a steady DECLINE in achievement whereas the State minimum target goes up 10 points every 3 years. Thus, since 2002 PPS achievement scores have DECREASED while most PA schools have INCREASED. There is currently a disparity of 30 40 points between the PA minimum target and PPS High Schools and that includes Allderdice, Schenley, Perry, Peabody, Oliver, Carrick and Westinghouse.

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:36

Sub par education, disruptive loud learning environment. Bullying, vulgar language, (3rd grade) and having kids afraid to go to school minus the one day a week they went to Greenway. One kid broke his leg when a bully pushed him down a flight of stairs.

The teachers try, the Principal tried, but without parental support, this just kept getting worse. I felt like I needed to hand out Xanax with Flintstone vitamins before school.

Anonymous said...

When a student who was already enrolled in PPS leaves the district,don't their school records have to be sent to their new school so they can schedule their subjects? PPS would know exactly where that student went because they would send the records.

Annette Werner said...

I pointed that out about the records at the public hearing today- also noted that over the past 5 years PPS enrollment declined almost 20%, but the city of PIttsburgh's population declined by only about 2%. Will post testimony later.

Questioner said...

It IS very generous that those in PPS just for HS can receive 75%; maybe that needs to be publicized more- didn't it used to be a pro rata amount? Still, you have to wonder if the Pittsburgh Promise is masking/ compensating in part for what would be greater enrollment declines; there seem to be underlying issues that need to be addressed.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:14

It is so obvious I didn't even think of that. So why don't they know, when they know?

Questioner said...

Probably, someone just sends out the records but no one is keeping track of and tabulating where students are going. So as a result they don't know.

It would be especially useful to see what types of choices 8th graders are making, as well as where students changing schools after 9th grade are going- including transfers to other PPS as well as outside the district.

Anonymous said...

Can't make them know what they don't want to know, even if they know it already.

Anonymous said...

I now know that they know what they stated they didn't know.

Anonymous said...

It absolutely could be done, but it requires manpower. The poorly paid clerks at the Board are heaped upon just like teachers -- do more with less resources. At least teachers make a decent wage (although they're still underpaid for what they do), but these poor clerks make beans.

Maybe they need to bring in folks from Chicago and California and pay them $70,000-90,000 to collect and "analyze" data. Oh wait, those folks are already hired doing other tasks that are deemed more important.

That's the rub, right there. If this administration thinks it's important (makes them look good, helps them secure Gates money), they'll find the money they need to hire the right people do do any given job. But to set up something meaningful like examining why parents take their children out of PPS, that could uncover some ugly truths (as well as some misconceptions).

Questioner said...

And, it could uncover some really useful information.

But the assumption so far seems to have been that the new superintendent, or the new curriculum, or CEP, or the Pittsburgh Promise, or the new schools, or now the teachers' academy and Gates money will be the answer to everything- so they don't need to look at why families leave.

Questioner said...

At one point a Broad fellow was going to be assigned to look at this issue, but it seems like that project was never mentioned again.

Anonymous said...

WTF are the Broad fellows doing? Almost 100k per year, Eli pays half for 2 years, we pay insurance etc.. At least 3 fellows have graduated and we are now paying full bloated salaries for them. Catie reed, Eddie jones and Marnie pastor are three I recall.

With benefits we are paying 300 thousand dollars (or more) for these 3 alone, what do they do?

Questioner said...

Marnie Pastor is the fellow who was mentioned as possibly looking at families leaving the district. Other posts say that Eddie Jones worked on Summer Dreamers- does he do anything else? Cate Reed doesn't seem to have been mentioned much lately.

Anonymous said...

Eta:

Taxpayers paid for their training, benefits and insurance. We deserve to know why we are paying for so many academies. Gates, Broad and the promise all have matching fund issues. Gates got a bandaid via the Feds, promise fell short in funding, Gates will play nice if we play his game.

In a few short years these programs will no longer be in place. Enrollment will continue to decline and the city and the kids will suffer the most. It is a shame.

Mark Roosevelt, Eli Broad and Bill Gates will all be long gone.

Anonymous said...

Does PPS have an organizational chart? I can't find one.

bystander said...

The reasons anon 8:14 mentions were noted by parents during the earliest phases of HS reform. That is probably when the "safe and orderly" phrase took hold too, as though using the words would make all environments safe and oderly. Sadly, some kids come to school bent on derailing any attempts for classmates' improvements. Kids walking through the door each morning already angry at something or someone have a hard time learning, but an easy time preventing others from learning. Mention distributing kids based on behavior rather than academic ability and some get up in arms. This factor alone will cause nightmare for teacher evaluations and performance pay.

Parents have been asking for more supports, but maybe what we really need to see is an evaluation of services and the elimination of non-performing programs.

Anonymous said...

Cate Reed was director of the summer program and she is also making presentations at admissions events.

Anonymous said...

Cate Reed Magnet Program Czarina? Stated with admiration for her passion.

Anonymous said...

If we figure Broad residents into the budget it adds up quickly. 4 of them are at now 100 % funded by PPS (taxpayers) : Jones, Reed, Malen & Pastor. I think their salaries are 90k or more. I am bad at math, so adding benefits I'll use the number 110, which is conservative. *We currently have 2 new residents Jacob House and Pierce Kildorf, that Broad is supposedly paying 50% of their salary. We pay benefits, and I believe a 10k signing bonus to all of the Broad residents.

Broad's "Prize" cost to taxpayers:

First 2 years for all 4(while training) 220,000

4 Residents have finished. (Malen may be on the bubble) and are now on full salary. 440,000

Signing bonuses 40,000

Equals 700,000

*Add Jacob House & Pierce Kildorf and add another 110,000 (training) and 20,000 signing bonus.

Adds up to 830,000 for 6 employees hired via Broad that WE paid for.

I think we won a booby prize.

http://www.broadresidency.org/residents
/alumni.html.

Chose Pittsburgh as current Organization.

Questioner said...

What's strange is that MR originally seemed like a bargain at something like $126k/year. And now each of these many young staff members are earning almost as much as that.

Anonymous said...

Pittsburgh School Enrollment Slide Continues
Education - Pittsburgh Public Schools
Written by Allegheny Institute
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 13:51

Pittsburgh Public Schools have seen yet another enrollment decline continuing a trend dating back over a decade. The student count for the 2010-11 school year fell 3.1 percent (797) below the year earlier reading. Compared to 1997 when the District enrolled more than 40,000 students, the current figure of 25,326 represents a decrease of nearly 37 percent. And the bad news is projected to continue. According to a school district consultant enrollment will fall through 2018.


Read more...

Allegheny Institute Web site-greta updated article-needs a seperate entry.

Anonymous said...

Maybe MR will take his Broadies with him.

As for Reed-multitasker??? She is a waste and the other Broadies-that taxpayer money could be going to direct services for our children.

reed and the Dreamers academy-a real joke exhibiting literacy-she should have been given a boot out the door. Fired

Questioner said...

Here is the link to the Allegheny Institute article:

http://www.alleghenyinstitute.org/education/pittsburghpublicschools/536-pittsburgh-school-enrollment-slide-continues.html

Although Allegheny is a conservative organization, which makes many people uncomfortable, it should be possible for all to consider the factual information presented.

Anonymous said...

To Anon 11:01 The probably is the wrong place for this but....
Ms.Reed needs to work on her people skills. She began a presentation about the Magnet application process by stating she would not answer any questions. WHAT??? As a parent why can't I ask questions if this was the time the process was being explained.
I have also seen her verbally attack parents who are looking for information about the promises she is and has made about what parents and students can expect in the magnet program.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like Ms. Reed!