Friday, November 4, 2011
What's up with Sci Tech enrollment?
As of October 1 enrollment in Sci Tech grade 11 (so far the school has grades 6-11) was 71 students. This is significantly below the 100 student enrollment for this grade when Sci Tech opened. Since new students are not accepted beyond grade 10, and some students will most likely move or change schools, the number graduating will most likely be lower than 71.
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5 comments:
I wonder about the advance plans that some may wrap up their high school years at Sci Tech in 3, not 4. Or even 5, not 4 years.
Is that still in the works? Is it being promoted?
In other news, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11308/1187363-53.stm
When will we hear concern expressed about an extra transition for students and a plan to address the problem? Eliminating the transition to a new school after 8th grade was a major justification given for 6-12 schools. Now we see that there is already a transition rate of approximately 30% just in the 9-12 portion of the school. And how can we be sure students are not being nudged out to make 11th grade PSSA numbers look good?
I don't understand how even PPS could mess this up. Magnet schools are supposed to "attract" students that show a high level of intrerest, KNOWLEDGE, (in that given area)and citizenship. PPS (other than CAPA) refuses to budge. There is no interview, the essay can be " I lyk skul" and poof you may get in. Think of the opportunity that was blown away.
I never understood why 50% of the top qualifiying applicants should simply have been placed their due to merit. It would raise the academic bar and set a great exampe for kids not as strong in Science & technology. Would the school be as socioeconomically diverse? No, but if they gave it a shot it could have been.
PPS actively sought to make the school representative of the PPS student body as a whole, for example by knocking on doors and passing out flyers in neighborhoods that might have been underrepresented. The promise was that everyone would be ready for advanced work in the upper grades. They may be finding that it is not so easy for high schools to bring students up to speed in a year or two.
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