Gloria

Sun, Aug 26, 2012 : 10:47 p.m.

I'm with Beth, how does this solve anything? Once again state leaders, led by Republicans that have no idea what they're doing, are mandating districts send these letters. It does nothing but concern and alarm parents unnecessarily. Besides, show me a school where there is a diverse socioeconomic population and I'll show you an achievement gap! Hello?! Schools with no achievement gap are much more homogeneous. Those are certainly not the Title 1 schools in Ann Arbor. Wake up people. This is all a bunch of crap!

missypsi

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 4:19 p.m.

So I looked into focus schools more closely, and they do seem very problematic. I just got this email from a concerned Ypsi parent. "Focus schools are schools that have the highest Achievement Gap in the State. When your school is identified by the State as a "focus school" it is required by law to inform parents that they may move their child to another school that IS NOT on the Focus School list, and they bused there at the District's expense. The problem is that not all schools on the focus schools list are required to inform parents and bus students to different areas, only Title I schools (schools that receive Federal funding because of low SES). Moreover, because ALL Ann Arbor Schools were placed on the list, Title I schools that were required to send notifications to parents, could only recommend schools in Willow Run, Ypsi, and Whitmore Lake. Why, because the district cannot pay for busing to another focus school. So what does this mean in real terms? Say you have a kid at Eberwhite (Title I), you will not be given the option to send her to Burns Park, because it is also a focus school, but you will be given the option to send her to Adams Elementary in Ypsi, which, coincidentally, is also a Title I school. This is totally diabolical, as you will see in this amazing podcast by Oakland Schools superintendent, Dr. Vickie Markavitch. Listen to this podcast. It's titled "Losing Focus With Focus Schools". Its a little long, but please stick with it to the end, because it explains, in very clear terms, why the "focus school" approach is a problem for public education in Michigan. http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/Home/ThoughtsandresourcesfromDrMarkavitch/tabid/3226/Default.aspx

leaguebus

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 2:40 a.m.

What bothers me about this whole mess is the state decides to have all these educational standards, then cuts school funding by 15% and also cuts the state income tax which of course will lay off more teachers and increase class size. At the same time they cut the state business tax by $1.8 B so the "job creators" can hire the laid off teachers at $10 per hour at their businesses. What a great plan!

1959Viking

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:06 a.m.

It was interesting that the article didn't compare the scores of the Ypsilanti or Willow Run schools offered to the parents. Was this just because the Lincoln schools were the best of the "so called" alternatives, or something else?

JRW

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 : 12:04 a.m.

There are many many hard-working teachers in AAPS. There are a few bad apples, and a few bad leaders (principals). Much of the achievement issue is based on the reality that classrooms are too large. Period. A very talented teacher simply cannot assist 30 or more students adequately in an elementary classroom. The top kids are bored and acting out, creating problems; the bottom kids are not getting the support they need and "drift along" getting passed from grade to grade without adequate skills. The middle performing kids get adequate attention and acquire adequate skills, but many are lost along the way if they are on the edge. As long as teachers and teacher assistants are constantly laid off cut back, and positions eliminated, classes will increase in size, making it impossible to close any gaps.

Somargie

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:52 p.m.

Let me correct my previous statement with an important "FACT" that I wrote incorrectly... .In my previous comment, I stated that info from the state on these categories were... " which is vertified by an outside impartial entity.... Wrong...info on these new "fancy smancy" categories are only verified by the State of MI, not by an outside impartial entity.. unless it's the charter school Repubs pushing these unattainable goals. Wake up MI, it's the fox watching the hen house and in our case the Repubs bought by the charter school CEO and the backers of that failed charter ballot with the same sad old anti-union, anti-teachers and anti-state employees vitriol...so you and I can let our children be bought & sold by the "job creators" who make outrageous salaries and kick, push, shove everybody's kid out who don't belong or have special education issues in their private school paid by public monies. Just remember, just because something is shiny & new doesn't make it good..didn't your parents teach you that one or do you approve of segregated schools or paying someone's kid a private education with your tax dollars. Send your child to private school instead paid with your private money....and leave public schools alone.

JRW

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:45 p.m.

So, let me get this right. The letter to parents in some A2 elementary schools offered an option where they could put their elementary age student onto a bus, travel to another district in another city, perhaps for an hour, and then attend an elementary school that has a higher achievement gap and lower test scores. Is this correct? Huh??? This makes absolutely no sense on any level.

kathryn

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:34 p.m.

I find it ironic: The schools that are "focus schools" are supposed to work harder to help the lowest achieving students achieve more (actually, do better on the test). So why would the program then encourage parents to leave those schools? I would think the parents of struggling kids would want to stay put to take advantage of all the extra attention the students will be getting. This is really crazy. I guess it's what happens when they try to write one-size-fits-all rules.

snapshot

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 9:34 p.m.

If this were a charter school the union thugs would be crying for blood, instead it's a "public" school so sympathy, time, and it's no big deal.

DeeDee

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 8:57 p.m.

I guess I am just stupid, but I have to wonder why everyone is blaming the schools, the government, the cosmic rays, the teachers, the administrators, etc. ( and though it seems that people forgot to blame the new DTE smart meters, but I'm sure someone will get around to it - where did I leave my tin hat?). Let's place the blame on PARENTS of underperforming kids who don't turn off the TV, read to their children, make them do their homework, and emphasize the critical importance of doing well in school. None of this will work because behind nearly every underperforming child, is an UNDERPERFORMING PARENT who is the person who should get the blame. Burdening high performing parents/children/families does no good. Don't blame the teachers either - they have these kids for a lot less time than their parents do, and have limited resources.

gretta1

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 8:50 p.m.

I had to laugh when I received notices that my kids' schools were focus schools. Is it not normal for some kids to perform well, some to perform poorly and others to perform at about average? Isn't this called a bell curve? Maybe the curves are skewed one way or another but busing kids around is not the way to fix any perceived problems related to disparities in scores at individual schools. I just keep my fingers crossed that my kids will get to finish in what has so far been an absolutely wonderful public school system without someone mandating they be bused elsewhere. If that happens, we will fight tooth and nail. No busing.

treetowncartel

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.

Isn't the letter, the envlope and the postage an unfunded mandate?

Wolf's Bane

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 8:10 p.m.

This proposal could be construed as reverse busing policy and we all know how well that worked out!!!

evenyoubrutus

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 6:32 p.m.

Completely honest here, I find it hilarious to see arrogant, elitist liberals freaking out over being told they are not the hottest thing in the world.

missypsi

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 5:35 p.m.

And it seems that everyone, with the exception of Monica has missed the point... 100% of Ann Arbor Public Schools are on the Focus School list, meaning that they have a persistent achievement gap between African American and White students. This is less of a problem in other places not because the kids are generally dumber, or the teachers less talented, but because, as Monica points out, real energy and attention has been paid to the issue, and it has not been met with the typical grousing about "fairness" that you see in Ann Arbor (for the grousers, fairness usually means the following: "why can't my special (privileged) child go on a field trip meant to bolster math and science learning for African American students!!!???" Ann Arbor has a big time race problem in its schools, and its not just about the achievement gap. I know many African American parents and parents of color who have taken their kids out of AA schools because of the feeling that their children are being treated "differently" (as if they were problems). These are not low income parents, they are professors, doctors, and professionals, and they are paying big bucks to send their kids to private schools in order to shield them from the subtle, underlying racism that students of color (even high achieving ones) experience in AA public schools. Personally, I have had a great experience in Ypsi schools, as has my daughter, who is both mixed race AND high achieving, and even if given the choice, I would definitely keep her in Ypsi.

SharonZS

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.

The metric that they've used to identify focus schools doesn't make sense. They've only considered the difference between the top 30% and lowest 30% without considering the average scores. Thus, schools in A2 which have high average math and reading achievement have larger gaps ---in part because there is more socioeconomic diversity in the Ann Arbor schools (higher SES and lower SES students in same classrooms and schools ) versus Lincoln and Ypsilanti schools which are probably more homogeneous --- homogeneity reduces the gap between highest and lowest tertiles without regard to the actual mean achievement scores. Thus, can have lower average achievement but lower gap ---and be a "reward school"!

Monica G

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:26 p.m.

As a parent of a junior in a competitive college who graduated from Lincoln, I get weary of the Ypsilanti-bashing that regularly appears in the comments following education-related articles. Ann Arbor parents have a right to be proud to send their children to the city's excellent schools. In the past, though, the focus has been on the average scores of a district or the percentage of students who passed certain sections of the MEAP with satisfactory scores, and Ann Arbor schools have always surpassed Ypsi schools (and probably will for some time). This time, the emphasis is on the achievement gap, that is, how schools do in bridging the gap between the lowest performing students and the highest performing ones. The simple fact is that some Lincoln, Ypsilanti and Willow Run schools are doing a better job of this than some Ann Arbor schools, probably because we have had to work at it longer and harder due to differences in population make-up. Speaking of which, Ann Arbor parents like to talk about their excellent schools and teachers without admitting how important a factor this population make-up is. The chart accompanying the article overshadowed the main reason that Ann Arbor parents were sent the letter, which was given a single sentence in the article: "These [Lincoln and Ypsilanti schools] were schools that both met AYP and were not named to the state's Focus list." In general, Lincoln school officials and parents have chosen to face their problems head-on without a lot of whining about fairness, the governor, the Republicans, the MEAP, and other issues that really don't relate to the issue at hand. I would hope the smart Ann Arbor administrators and parents can do the same.

TigersFan91

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:24 p.m.

Folks...welcome to education led by clueless individuals who do not know a thing about education. This solves nothing. All it does is confuse parents. I know a parent who received the letter and thought the district was purposely trying to push them out because their child was receiving special education services. Administration had to call and explain that was not true, what a focus school is, and why they were required to send the letter. Congrats Governor Snyder...you must be proud.

SuperFreckleFace

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:19 p.m.

Unfortunately AAPS has been trying to close the achievement gap ever since we've been here. Punish the kids. Use the money to bus the kids around Washtenaw County. The achievement gap will never be closed.

brimble

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:55 p.m.

A better transfer option exists: to one of the area charter, private, parochial, or alternative schools.

Gardener1

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:53 p.m.

You are so right, Somargie. It is a ploy for privately run charter schools to grow. The State of Michigan is allowing public money from our property taxes go to companies to run the schools. Public control of education left the public's hands when we passed Prop A. The demand for charter schools will increase because of this incorrect assumption that something is wrong with Ann Arbor Schools that can only be solved by students going elsewhere. What is wrong with the schools is determined by ridiculous tests and constantly changing benchmarks for proficiency. Let the teachers teach and let the administrators do their job of being sure the best teachers are hired and doing their job.

jlb314159

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:52 p.m.

Much of the problem is terminology and how stupid the new designations are. Here is the Michigan Department of Education's web site on the definitions of "Focus", "Reward", and "Priority" ratings http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140--283695--,00.html "Focus" isn't bad, it just means that there is a gap between the highest and lowest students in the school. Our school is Allen, and I know that it's a great school! It's the "Priority" list that looks bad to me.

Haran Rashes

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:45 p.m.

If I understand this correctly, a zoned Ann Arbor Public School student living at the edge of the district may have to have his or her parents drive him or her several miles to a bus to get to Huron High School because our District can no longer afford most high school busing. But if that same student wants to attend, let's say, Lincoln High School, the State mandates that Ann Arbor Public School's bus the student the 15 or so miles to Lincoln. Does anyone else see a problem with this?

DonBee

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:34 p.m.

Thank you all for the entertainment this morning. Not a single fact presented in the discussion. So many conspiracy theories that I can only laugh. The No Child Left Behind was passed in the Bush Administration. The waver was designed in the Granholm administration, it was approved in by the Obama Administration. Before the waver, there was no such thing as focus schools, this would never have gone out. There would have been much less of an issue with some students doing well under AYP than there are now with the waver - but it is too hard to get students at the low end to perform, so a waver was asked for. I know it is not the teacher's fault or the school districts' fault or the union's fault - the only people at fault are the parents and the Republicans. I know charter schools are evil and they take away money from everyone else and put it in the pockets of the rich. Or so I am told here... Checking facts, reading and questioning studies for bias, looking at the financials of schools - both public and charter - will yield a different picture than is presented here. But since this is a fact free discussion - I won't bother to present any. Thank you again for the entertainment.

Beth

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:19 p.m.

So how does forcing Title 1 schools to use some of their funding to bus students to other schools, rather than use it to help educate students, make things any better??

InterestedReader

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:17 p.m.

"Erocypsi 7:16 AM on 8/24/2012 This seems like a great way to get families to switch from high performing schools to charter schools. Not surprising that our Republican led State Govt. came up with this one." While many of the commenters have good points about why this is not the right way to address any issues of school performance I read the article with the underlying question of: Why? What is the real reason? And Erocypsi nailed it. This government wants to privatize everything and this is a shoehorn to charter schools which are profitted by their cronies.

bobslowson

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:16 p.m.

If our right wing state govt had their way...they would just get rid of those pesky under performing public schools...all the people with money would send their kids to private and/or charter schools and those who couldn't afford it? Too bad...

Somargie

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 2:03 p.m.

Focus, Reward, Priority schools labels are the new "fancy smancy" scam that the repubs in MI are using to destroy public schools in MI further. Parent notification is not nearly as surprising as the "silence" of the media and parents to this latest government push by the repubs to destroy public schools in MI. The repubs are inventing these categories to continue to perpetuate their lies about how they came up with this "most unrealistic outcome" based on nothing yet tied up with a realistic term called "academic achievement." Academic achievement is real but not attainable with the criteria that the repubs got from their charter school masters, Devos & their friends & CEO political contributors from the charter schools. When will the media & people of MI not funded by the charter schools stand up & revolt against such blatant attempts to destroy schools and take funding away? Shame on the media, annarbor. com for not calling this for what it is...pure politics & lies. If they really wanted to close the achievement gap & save funding they would close those multiple ISDs, school districts in every little town & go to a county-wide or bi-county school system & decrease class sizes dramatically in every classroom especially in Title 1 schools like many successful states. Instead, they are targeting teachers, making stuff up which is vertified by an outside impartial entity and using that to take funding away because things are so bad...In the meantime, we are all paying for the private education of somebody's child with public monies in the guise of charter schools with CEOs linked to the very politicians who created this farce. I hope you people are happy with the repubs that are destroying this state...because the unions, teachers, state employees were greedy & repubs were honorable enough to take away your vote, democracy, benefits & public schools so they can push forth the

Tony Livingston

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:55 p.m.

The great thing about Ann Arbor is that all kinds are here together. Everyone from very wealthy families to very poor families, all races, all cultures are all in school together. It is something that is considered very desirable but at the same time it seems to be something that results in punishment.

Dog Guy

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:54 p.m.

The bottom 30 percent of test takers in AAPS are by encouraged by e-mail to bus to Lincoln or Ypsi where they will fit in academically and experience improved self-esteem. AAPS will lose its "gaps" and the receiving districts will get billable bodies. Weren't schools run this way a century ago?

Walid Yassir

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:52 p.m.

No Child Left Behind is Bush policy, one of the intended effects being the transfer of children and money to Charter schools (which in some cases are better than the local public school). The problem is that test scores track very closely with median income which won't change with a school transfer. Taking a low scoring student out of a great Ann Arbor elementary school to a school with less disparity (and probably lower means) on standardized testing makes little sense unless someone can show that a child performing poorly in Ann Arbor will get more attention and perform better in Ypsi or Willow Run, both school districts with well publicized problems.

pseudo

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:52 p.m.

we can do all this complaining or read the notice, quickly and easily compare the stark differences in the options and...toss the notice out (delete). 5 minutes. move on. in more common instances, my guess is that there is more actual positive choice involved. Just not this one.

Susie Q

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:47 p.m.

The Republicans always claim to want less government. Ha! There is WAY too much government interference in education. We are one of the few states in which districts cannot choose their "starting day".....for the last 10 years or so the tourist industry dictates that school must start after Labor Day (thanks to the Republicans). This latest baloney about "Focus Schools" is EXTREMELY confusing to parents, educators and community members. Any school that has a population of high-achieving students will end up on this list. Perhaps we can ask the high-achievers to test poorly on the MEAP tests so that all the student appear average or low....problem solved. Focus, AYP, NCLB, Reward Schools, Priority Schools, etc, etc...what a bunch of malarky.

rivergoddess

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.

Since when did they start caring about avoiding unfunded mandates? Paying for choice busing because they're required to offer a choice? That's new and strange.

Linda Peck

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 1:17 p.m.

I have no idea what this article is saying. Am I stupid or this is another administrative manifesto that cannot be explained in plain English?

Thoughtful

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:50 p.m.

My two cents: have administration in the schools, particularly certain AAPS middle schools, that respect their staff, so as to inspire them to go the extra distance to close that achievement gap. Remove administration from the schools that don't inspire their staff- it comes from the top. Ive seen such a change in the staff at my childs school, they seem so defeated by their principal. Can't wait to be out of there.

antikvetch

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:40 p.m.

We simply need to eliminate math and reading from our schools. Focus on diversity and self-esteem instead. Problem solved -

Jaime

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:30 p.m.

So lets see. Maybe the top 30% score 80 in math and 90 in reading and the bottom 30% score 40 in math and 60 in reading so you get an average figure that is quite high. But even the lower 30% score at or very near the state average so they can transfer to school who has a much lower bottom 30%. I guess if they do that, it will bring up the other schools average and make create a disparity at those schools allowing those students to transfer to another school. Eventually the entire state can be mediocre.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:26 p.m.

No child not mediocre. That's the new name for this program. How many ways can you say, "What a pile of BS?" My kids is doing all right in a great school system. He'she will be fine. Yet how much better this would be if the top students were a lot more, well, mediocre. ARE YOU PEOPLE CRAZY!!!?????!!!

justcurious

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:25 p.m.

This reminds me that schools often graduate pupils who can hardly read. How did they get that far without it? Because they were forgotten, given up on and "passed" through. Think this doesn't happen? Think again. I do think the schools concentrate on the "easier" kids, the ones who come from "good" families" who are pushing their achievement and athletes who can make the school look good. Reality hurts.

Gloriagirl

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:22 p.m.

I work with students at Lincoln Brick elementary and it is an excellent school from both the teachers and principal involvement. Students are given individual attention and they are supported by paraprofessional staff in all facets of their educational experience.

RUKiddingMe

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 12:10 p.m.

So does this comparison between big gaps and small gaps mean that higher overall scores are still "focus" problems, while lower overall scores are the transfer option? for instance, if my school has the top 30% getting 100% on tests and the low 30% getting 60% on tests, would I be told I can transfer to a school where the top 30% gets 80% and the low 30% gets 50% (because this gap is smaller than the other gap)? If so, that seems like artificially making the GAP more of an issue than the scores, which seems to me to be really, really stupid.

City Confidential

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:54 a.m.

Reading articles like this reminds me how thankful I am, every day, that I don't have kids.

Floyd

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:48 a.m.

And how about an "economic achievement gap" between the top One Percent and all the rest, supported by a state government that squeezes public programs and monies into tax breaks for the rich? Do you suppose lots of folks would abandon that ship for something better? You bet. My wife and I have lost many friends - from engineers to teachers - who abandoned Michigan like a sinking ship. Building sustainability in our schools would be better than this toxic nonsense from the Far Right. A deliberate policy of "divide and conquer" will cause division and devastation in our public schools.

Mike

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:37 a.m.

This is what happens when you grow government at the state and federal (DOE) level and take away control at the local level. Top that off with union control of the schools and this is the end result. Get used to it since there are no politicians around that will risk personal attacks and intimidation to upset the apple cart. These are the rules, rules are meant to help and protect you, this is all about social justice and fairness......say that over and over again and it will start to feel better, soon you'll accept it like everything else. We are moving towards a society where everyone is equal. We attack those who are successful, especially if they are of color and reward those who sit at home waiting for their check. In order to have social and economic justice you have to bring everyone down to a lower level that all can achieve. Join an occupy movement and you'll understand better what I am talking about. Why is this so hard to see and understand?

xmo

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:34 a.m.

What caused this? Too much government intervention!

DennisP

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:30 a.m.

Title I schools, unfunded mandates, AYP, flexibility waivers all resulting in nonsensical notices to transfer to even lower performing schools... What a bureaucratic nightmare. Seems like soon, all kids will be left behind...behind a wall of red tape and reg-speak. Nothing creates jobs like a governmental program. They last forever and become the hiding place for semi-competent and incompetent "administrators" who carpetbag and micromanage while sending progress into a devouring black hole. The high cost of sucking at the teat of the federal government--regardless of whether it is run by Republicans or Democrats.

Mike D.

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:28 a.m.

Warning: Your child goes do a school where the very brightest kids are a lot smarter than those needing the most help. Please send them instead to a school where everyone scores worse. It's like some sort of stupidity hegemony.

andy kelly

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:18 a.m.

There are so many issues with this that it is difficult to choose what to discuss. The idea that a mandated letter would be sent to home basically stating that districts need to "dumb" down our school to meet the requirements, so you need to send your child to a school that does not have as many high testing children as Ann Arbor's. Insulting? Well, yes! But this is the part of the bureaucracy game - hide the truth in euphemistic lanuage. Yet, the real issue of attempting to set a educational medium by "dumbing" down the smart kids is best summed up by late philosopher/comedian George Carlin. "Not all children are smart and clever. Got that? Kids are like any other group of people: a few winners, a whole lot of losers! This country is filled with loser kids who simply...aren't...going anywhere! And there's nothing you can do about it, folks. Nothing!" Insulting? Yes. True? Most definitely!

Erocypsi

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:16 a.m.

This seems like a great way to get families to switch from high performing schools to charter schools. Not surprising that our Republican led State Govt. came up with this one.

northside

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 11:06 a.m.

@ Basic: It usually helps to read an article before commenting on it.

Basic Bob

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 10:11 a.m.

This is the result of the economic redlining masterminded by the Burns Park elite. All doctor's and professor's kids, politicians and real estate agents live here. All the riff-raff live further out. They divert so much money from the state for each student that they under-serve, that they can keep their precious Community and athletic facilities in top shape.