Cleveland public schools face daunting challenges—and tremendous opportunities. Since the beginning of the decade enrollment in the Cleveland school district has fallen by more than 27,000—largely due to the cities shrinking population. Coupled with a shrinking population and dismal academic performance in the last five years it is hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The Chief Executive Officer Eugene Sanders’s “Whatever it Takes” transformation plan offers Cleveland Schools a light, a renewed promise that we can adequately educate our students and prepare them for college, civic engagement and success.
“Whatever it Takes,” will close 18 Cleveland schools (East and South), and transform 21 others—the aim of the plan is to combat a shrinking population and take a top-down approach to improving district performance. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer more than 4,500 students will be assigned to new schools which will take effect at the end of this school year. Others will experience changes in their daily learning process. Overall, the plan makes sense, but there are some flaws that need to be addressed before this light is quickly dimmed.
Reformation of Glenville High School (GHS): According to the plan “All-male Ginn Academy will move [to] Glenville High School… A girls academy will be added to the high school, which will keep the Glenville name.”
This aspect of the plan is counterintuitive. The dollars that were initially directed towards the Ginn Academy should have been used to enhance and provide adequate education at GHS. With that being said, if the Ginn Academy wants to continue to consume state dollars, it should do so under the banner of GHS. What happens to the male students that are already enrolled in GHS? Where do they go? Will the young ladies be accepted into the academy? Also, why have two gender focused academy’s under one roof—will they have separate teachers, separate administrators? Will tax payers being paying double for two schools in one building?
Funding and Collaboration: According to the plan the district is currently making cuts but will need an estimated $70 million to pay for reforms over the next three years. Sanders’ is banking on $30 million from President Barack Obama’s education-reform package (Race to the Top), $30 million from area foundations and corporations, $10 million from within. Also, eventually the district will need to ask the voters to approve a tax property increase.
Obama’s $30 million package calls for collaboration between the state, the district and the teacher’s union. Fortunately for Cleveland’s teachers their union needs to sign off on reforms, on the other side Sanders’ has not worked with teachers and the teacher’s union was shut out of the process (according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer). If this plan is to succeed we need teachers AND parents at the table to make the decisions, they know schools better than any administrator.
Transportation: With 2 schools closing and the reformation of others transportation may become an issue. Cleveland’s RTA is already proposing cuts that will affect school districts, and it makes me wonder if students will have trouble getting to-and-fro school.
Closing of East High and South High: The plan really did not identity why these two schools were chosen to be closed, but I can bet that it is directly linked to school performance. Unfortunately teachers will lose their jobs, and students will be shipped off to other schools, find new friends and adapt. Part of me think this may be the best for the entire district. I understand that those who attended these schools hold them deeply in their heart, and know that they have quality teachers that that deal with extreme circumstances on a daily basis. As community members, parents, etc we have to be concerned with the future of our kids, not the nostalgia of our yesterdays.
So, overall this is my two cents about the plan. There will be meeting Feb. 23rd for the board to vote for or against “Whatever it Takes,” I urge you all to attend in protest or support…there is no better way to create change than to voice your opinion.
Politically yours,
@ShanelleLaCole
