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Posted by Barbara Pytel Jun 22, 2006 |
Let's face it. Mega-schools are a failure. Michael Bloomberg has had the courage to announce that and do something about it. Education in the big cities is like the Emperor's New Clothes. We know the system isn't working but no one wants to announce the obvious. To admit it could require drastic measures to fix it.
Mini Schools
Bloomberg and the Educational Chancellor, Joel Klein, have formed middle schools and high schools as small as 100 students with the plan to gradually build up to possibly 300 or 600. Many of these mini-schools are within previously built larger schools. A few schools are new but most of them will be schools within schools. The school names are also interesting. Instead of PS 153, they are
- Academy of Hospitality and Tourism High School,
- Academy for the Visual Arts and Theater,
- The Food and Finance High School, and
- Academy for Careers in Sports.
Results?
So far, the results are very promising especially for minority students. This plan seems to be closing the gap between race and economic status.
The Future
It will be interesting to see what impact this will have on the economy of New York. Will this reduce crime, welfare and the drain on the economy that high drop out rates cost?
Related articles: Boys Lag Behind Girls, Florida Vouchers-2nd Try, Canada's Secret, Vouchers in Milwaukee, Female vs. Male Teachers, NYC High Schools Go Smaller.
Read all previous articles on Educational Issues.