Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is among 10 large countywide and suburban districts nationwide launching a coalition to make sure the needs of suburban schools aren't overlooked in federal policy, according to a recent EdWeek report.
"The needs of some of these larger, suburban, very successful districts are different from some of the 'crisis-of-the-moment' issues you see in some of the city districts," coalition chairman Jack Dale of Fairfax County, Va., is quoted as saying.
Robert Avossa, who left CMS to become superintendent of Fulton County Schools in suburban Atlanta, is quoted as saying districts like his face some of the same challenges as urban districts, including a growing number of students from low-income or non-English-speaking homes. But they're sometimes left out of policies focused on aiding the most distressed schools.
Ericka Ellis-Stewart, chairman of the CMS board, said Superintendent Heath Morrison participated in a conference call about the coalition and plans to brief the board soon.
Thanks to the MeckEd newsletter for the heads-up on this article.
Friday, July 27, 2012
CMS helps launch suburban coalition
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14 comments:
Blah Blah Blah more crap from the ATL fool stay their. This County is too big for 1 system break it up we already have 2 CMS and LIFT. I am sick and tired of paying for daycare on the Westside !
While I agree the county is too big for one school system (witness the previous blog topic on salaries--what a bureaucratic nightmares), I'm glad that someone is recognizing the suburban component of this system. I have never quite understood why the press has not questioned the "urban school system" moniker used by CMS at least since the mid 2000s, probably earlier. We are obviously a large metropolitan district. Unfortunately most of the discussion and policy making for many years has centered on urban issues. In fact, it has been quite popular in some quarters to disparage suburban schools because they are not "urban enough." Are we seeing a quiet change of attitude here?
9:57, just because there is mention of an interest in program does not
mean there is one or CMS is even remotely interested in being part of it. Dr. Gorman had sympathy for many suburban schools the first year of his service but some uptown folks got to him and shut him up. It did not play well for their mantra "to seem rather than to be" or their business recruiting efforts. See how many firms now offer private school tuition in their relocation packages and how many of these employees settle outside of Mecklenburg County.
Bill, I understand exactly what you are saying and I know that Dr. Gorman seemed to "get" the metropolitan district idea when he first came. I wish he could have stood firm. Now I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out with the new superintendent. Obviously most of the board is still very urban oriented; we have the activists who despise the suburbs, and we have a press that bought into the "urban district" without a whimper. So how will Heath handle the issue?
12:40, we will just have to see. I think if a number show up to these town hall meetings and complain vehemently to him of how the last BOE's have treated us and show him how useless the extra spending has been above a certain amount, he might get it. But as we all know, the BOE is controlled now by the loud ignorant urban set and the uptown set that just want to keep them pacified.
I once was told by the head of one of the major civic engagement groups here "We have to do this (as in pandering to the diversity first crowd) or "they" will riot."
"the BOE is controlled now by the loud ignorant urban set"
Right on , Bill Stevens, right on, right on, right on!
2:47- I dont doubt that you heard that about the " riot" why just look at Kojo's reactions to school closings. That is why the 2 minority women got elected last year. What has that gotten CMS? 1) a person who does not know or care who pays for her plane tickets for vacations 2) Project LIFT- a un regulated minority baby sitting service. And thats just the top 2 so if "they" want to split it lets do it. Give me my "white tax payer funds" and we will create a district with incredible test scores plus happy teachers. Let Kojo open a minority based system hopefully close to a jail so transport is minimal. Have a "middle" rung school for eveyone else and problem solved. Except no baby sitters just educators and students who come to learn. That would eliminate about 80% of the issues.
Re: Pete Gorman originally supporting suburban schools. Pete's original stance angered several activist groups and they went after him with a vengeance. Meck ACTS, never a friend of the suburbs, finally found his Achilles Heel with the testing issue, which they were able to parlay into widespread discontent, helped along by some in the media. (Ironically for years Meck ACTS used test score results as "proof" that CMS was not fairy educating minorities and had poor teachers in the high poverty schools).
MECKActs is a publicity stunt.
MeckActs,Meck ED, Louise Woods, Kojo, Bill Anderson all a bunch of losers and dead weight for CMS. They are clearly all special interest groups looking for pay checks just like Ericka Stewart. A few vacations dont hurt neither folks. These individuals could care less about students and how or what they learn.
With E E- S & McC running the show you all are very naive to believe there will be ANY REAL effort to suuport the non-RFL crowd.
8:15, you are partially correct. However if the non-FRL crowd shows up to their town hall meetings with specific and definitive arguments, show up at any CMS public hearing, show up at any BOCC public hearing and really fight to tell their story, the uptown power brokers will jump in too worried that bad light is being shown on Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
For example, keep bringing up in public issues around non answers about EE-S's plane ticket to London, etc.
Just keep bringing the heat.
Bring the heat
How about spending 3x the county money on FRL/Focus schools with 3x less students in the classroom. Now there is private funding of $50million. Suburb schools are told not to accept money for certain things like sponsorship opportunities.
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