Tuesday, March 15, 2005

"ELITISM" RETURNS TO AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS

Being such elitists themselves, Leftists oppose anything that is selective or merit-based. The only merit in their eyes is Leftist orthodoxy

The establishment of gifted and talented classes in all NSW comprehensive high schools could be public education's greatest weapon against the drain of bright students to selective and private schools, educationalists say. It's hoped the new program of streamed classes, being launched across NSW this year, will strengthen comprehensive schools by enticing gifted students to stay rather than defect to selective or private institutions. Tony Vinson, who in 2002 chaired a landmark independent inquiry into public education which recommended such a program, said selective high schools only catered for a very small percentage of gifted children.

Almost 14,000 year 6 students in NSW are expected to sit for the selective high schools test on Wednesday, vying for one of just 3570 places on offer for next year. Professor Vinson said the new program, a 2003 election promise by Premier Bob Carr, would open up opportunities for thousands more bright students. "It won't be necessary to go to a selective school to have those opportunities now, and that will result in the retention of inspiring students in the comprehensive high schools," he said. "That's the due of every bright young person and also an extremely valuable social resource that we can't afford to squander," said Professor Vinson.

Anecdotal evidence already suggests that such programs help keep bright students in comprehensive schools. At Davidson High School, on the North Shore, enrolments dropped to about 480 in the late 1990s before the school introduced a gifted and talented program. Enrolment figures have now inflated to about 720 students. "By itself, having a gifted and talented program is not the magic formula," said Davidson High's principal Chris Bonnor, president of the NSW Secondary Principals Council. But Mr Bonnor said it had helped change parents' perceptions of the school. "I think many parents are convinced that going to a selective school would only make a marginal difference, if any difference at all," he said. "In the last couple of years our highest [Universities Admissions Index] has been 99.8 and it's hard to believe they would have done better anywhere else."

Source






ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SPENDING MORE MONEY TO GET WORSE RESULTS

When will people realize that governments shouldn't be running schools?

When Houston school district leaders proposed bringing in new management teams for three of the city's lowest-performing high schools last month, some parents blamed the schools' plight on inferior resources and neglect. A review of Houston Independent School District financial records, however, shows the three schools spend more money per student than the city's top-performing campuses.

This revelation caught at least one school board member off guard, leaving HISD decision makers to look at other factors, such as low community involvement and weak leadership, to explain why Yates, Kashmere and Sam Houston high schools have not reversed years of poor academic performance. "It's unfortunate that it takes a controversial issue to come up before our communities rally around the schools," said trustee Kevin Hoffman, whose northside district includes Kashmere. "Everybody will show up for a football or basketball game, but you can't find anyone to show up for a PTA meeting or a community meeting regarding academics."

Superintendent Abe Saavedra cited the need to "fundamentally change the management" of the three schools in his call for leadership overhauls at the three campuses. He said the reform groups that take over must redesign management practices and engage parents in the improvement effort. Kashmere and Yates rank first and fourth, respectively, in terms of per-pupil funding among HISD's 23 traditional high schools. Sam Houston ranks 13th. "I was surprised that Kashmere is at the top of the list because I've always gotten a different story from school leadership," Hoffman said. In contrast, HISD will spend from $500 to nearly $2,000 less per student this year at three of the school district's highest-performing schools: Lamar, Bellaire and Westside. Those schools, where more than three quarters of all seniors score above 1,000 on the SAT, occupy the three lowest spots on HISD's per-pupil funding list. And the three low-performing schools measure up well against the others in additional ways.....

The HISD budget formula gives more money - some from the state and federal government - to schools with higher populations of low-income students, those enrolled in special education classes and those who don't speak English as their first language.

More here

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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL schools should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the poor and minimal regulation.

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