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Wasn't the message just recently that there were enough funds even for students just entering kindergarten? (Although, 5k may cover a significantly smaller portion of college expenses 12 years from now.)
A study by Rand Corp. (the fox in the hen house again)said the Pgh. Promise is off to a solid start. They have $74 million in pledges out of the $147 million target."
Do you think they'll be able to do more with less for some since the new "temporary" policy which allows a 1.5 GPA eliminates any possibility of a 2.5 (Pittsburgh Promise) for large numbers of high school students over the next few years?
The Pittsburgh Promise, therefore, is not even "aspirational" for 'certain' students. (And the bottom line for "aspiration" should be students, right? or wrong?)
Heck, I remember clearly once hearing from Mr. Ghubril that PP is funded for 27 years and the next time the question was asked the 27 years stood with some qualifications. Both times were prior to the increase to the $10,000/year mark was announced. I am more interested in the figure already awarded and the administrative and promotional dollars used.
I wonder just how attractive PPS will be to Ghubril and the Pittsburgh Foundation when all but CAPA fall under the AYP bar next year (and I'm not giving any undeserved due here to CAPA teachers. They just inherit these kinds of kids). I wonder if the rumored decision to extend the Promise to all schools--even private--within city limits will be acted upon. It's funny. This all caused the 50% rule, but if you look at PSSA numbers--and SAT scores, I am sure---it doesn't all add up.
Just a note to say there will be a community meeting tonight hosted by A+ Schools at Greenway. The meeting begins at 6:30 and the topic is the proposed realignment. Southern neighborhoods are generally not known to draw crowds to meetings of this type.
In its purest form, the Promise was a nice idea for the kids. Unfortunately, it was corrupted by administration. Thanks to administration, it largely destroyed the academic credibility, or at least any shred that was left. Roosevelt saw the Promise as an incredible public relations tool for both himself and his administration. And he pounded his idea continually, as does Lane. But of course, it had to be 'tweaked' to be able to report that the entire district was on the pathway. So let's enact a grading policy that amazingly makes it almost impossible to fail....even if you literally do nothing. And so it goes. Shamefully, administration types have forgotten what education is all about.
Given the evidence, the data, the status of PPS, their backgrounds, etc; one might legitimately wonder if they ever knew "what education is all about" or for whom schools exist.
12 comments:
Wasn't the message just recently that there were enough funds even for students just entering kindergarten? (Although, 5k may cover a significantly smaller portion of college expenses 12 years from now.)
On another post Anonymous wrote:
"Mark-
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/09/12/report-pittsburgh-promise-off-to-a-solid-start/
A study by Rand Corp. (the fox in the hen house again)said the Pgh. Promise is off to a solid start. They have $74 million in pledges out of the $147 million target."
It's the old fallback the $147M was essentially "aspirational." Like the Excellence for All goals.
Do you think they'll be able to do more with less for some since the new "temporary" policy which allows a 1.5 GPA eliminates any possibility of a 2.5 (Pittsburgh Promise) for large numbers of high school students over the next few years?
The Pittsburgh Promise, therefore, is not even "aspirational" for 'certain' students. (And the bottom line for "aspiration" should be students, right? or wrong?)
Heck, I remember clearly once hearing from Mr. Ghubril that PP is funded for 27 years and the next time the question was asked the 27 years stood with some qualifications. Both times were prior to the increase to the $10,000/year mark was announced. I am more interested in the figure already awarded and the administrative and promotional dollars used.
Read it again!
"It's the old fallback the $147M was essentially "aspirational."
No, the 250M was the aspiration! The $100M from UPMC that was to be meted out in matches to $150M from...elsewhere.
But for the last two years, they've not gotten to $15M so they haven't gotten the $10M from UPMC either.
I wonder just how attractive PPS will be to Ghubril and the Pittsburgh Foundation when all but CAPA fall under the AYP bar next year (and I'm not giving any undeserved due here to CAPA teachers. They just inherit these kinds of kids).
I wonder if the rumored decision to extend the Promise to all schools--even private--within city limits will be acted upon.
It's funny. This all caused the 50% rule, but if you look at PSSA numbers--and SAT scores, I am sure---it doesn't all add up.
Just a note to say there will be a community meeting tonight hosted by A+ Schools at Greenway. The meeting begins at 6:30 and the topic is the proposed realignment. Southern neighborhoods are generally not known to draw crowds to meetings of this type.
Serve food. I am sure that a free meal will work wonders.
In its purest form, the Promise was a nice idea for the kids.
Unfortunately, it was corrupted by administration. Thanks to administration, it largely destroyed the academic credibility, or at least any shred that was left.
Roosevelt saw the Promise as an incredible public relations tool for both himself and his administration. And he pounded his idea continually, as does Lane.
But of course, it had to be 'tweaked' to be able to report that the entire district was on the pathway.
So let's enact a grading policy that amazingly makes it almost impossible to fail....even if you literally do nothing.
And so it goes.
Shamefully, administration types have forgotten what education is all about.
Given the evidence, the data, the status of PPS, their backgrounds, etc; one might legitimately wonder if they ever knew "what education is all about" or for whom schools exist.
And, it is a legitimate 'wondering.'
Data requires an IT department. I do not belive it was a coinsidence when PPS demolished the IT department during round one of "Central office cuts"
They don't want data they simply want PR. Pesky facts get in their way.
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