Trustees discussed replacing the entire staff at two failing
middle schools and converting them into charter schools in hopes of
helping them meet federal testing criteria.
Trustees discussed replacing the entire staff at two failing middle schools and converting them into charter schools in hopes of helping them meet federal testing criteria.
South Valley and Brownell middle schools are in their fifth year of Program Improvement, a designation assigned to schools that fail to make federal achievement goals on an annual test. The federal government requires school districts take drastic actions in an effort to boost test scores, and trustees discussed those options at a Thursday night board meeting. At the top of trustees’ lists was converting the schools to charter schools, while most trustees opposed changing up staff.
Trustees praised the principals for their work and agreed with Superintendent Deborah Flores that the schools need stability after experiencing administrative upheaval and high staff turnover in recent years.
“You couldn’t get two more dedicated principals and vice principals,” trustee Denise Apuzzo said, gesturing to South Valley Principal Greg Kapaku and Brownell Principal Greg Camacho-Light, who were seated in the audience. “They put their heart and soul into their schools … changing staff around is not going to do good. I don’t think the answer is to pull people out. I think the answer is to shore people up. Throw out the stuff that’s not working. Go forward with people that are absolutely committed to making change at the school.”
Apuzzo’s impassioned speech inspired clapping and cheers from teachers and parents in the audience.
Trustee Tom Bundros agreed that “it makes no sense to me to demolish what’s there either.” Still, something’s not working, he said.
“We’re not talking about learning six languages folks,” Bundros said. “We’re talking about being 50 percent proficient in math and English.”
Some charter schools have found the formula for doing that, he pointed out.
Trustee Javier Aguirre also suggested halting the flow of students from the two lagging middle schools to Ascencion Solorsano Middle School, which has nearly reached the size of the other two schools combined.
“As a board member, I would say no more transfers,” Aguirre said.
However, by law, districts must accommodate students who wish to leave a PI school for a school that does meet federal requirements.
Although trustee Mark Good supported Aguirre’s suggestion, he reminded board members that that option might be outside the board’s power.
Trustees concluded with a motion requesting school staff at the district’s six PI schools – three elementary schools and the continuation high school have also fallen short of federal growth targets – to answer specific questions about alternative governance at their schools. Trustees asked school staff to research the pros and cons of implementing a charter and to provide monthly updates on academic progress. District staff will also identify the resources needed to introduce a program called Successmaker – which district staff said contributed toward Eliot Elementary School’s exit from PI status – at all PI schools. The resolution also asked district staff to look at the legal ramifications of halting transfers to Solorsano.
