WAITING FOR SUPERMAN
The creator of the movie An Inconvenient Truth is about to release a movie on public schooling, and it does not appear to be a positive review.
On Friday, September 24, the documentary Waiting for Superman will be released in New York and Los Angeles, with nationwide release in October and November. The film is set for release today and has been featured on Oprah this week (Monday and again on Friday) generating even more discussion.
While it is very moving, we must remember that it is ultimately entertainment.
The film follows five students who seek entry into charter schools, framed as their only hope for a quality education. The highly emotional ending focuses on a drawing or lottery to select which students will be admitted. Not everyone can win in a charter school lottery, but everyone can win in a public school. While great charter schools do exist, not every school can be a charter, and not all charter schools outperform traditional public schools. This is not acknowledged by this film.
While it is important to examine the challenges that exist in public education, which this film does, we must not merely criticize the system. Rather we must use them to begin a dialogue about how to ensure that every student succeeds.
The National School Board Association (NSBA) Executive Director Anne Bryant will appear as a public education advocate on the closing panel of a week-long series on NBC called Education Nation, which was featured on Monday and will be on Friday¹s episode of the Oprah show.
While we haven¹t had the opportunity to view the film as yet, we commend its call to action on behalf of public schools. It opens an important conversation, and begins a dialogue about the changes that need to take place, including but not limited to community involvement. However, the film¹s message oversimplifies complicated issues and creates a mentality of us versus them that only promotes division rather than collaboration.
Public schools and their charge to offer ALL students an opportunity for education are at the core of our democracy. Not everyone can win a lottery or meet the admission and financial criteria of a private or parochial school, but public schools provide all students an opportunity for success.
There are successful public schools across the country where students are reaching high levels of success, West Bloomfield being a prime example.
School boards recognize that it takes leadership that shifts expectations to higher levels. It takes dramatic changes in instruction to produce new results. It takes new forms of professional development to help teachers develop skills to reach struggling learners. It takes assessment systems that help us diagnose and improve, rather than rank and penalize. It takes greater levels of parent and community engagement that creates a support system for every child. I believe this is one of the strengths of the West Bloomfield School District.
Members of the education community are at the forefront of developing and implementing ways to improve teacher quality. No one wants teachers in the classrooms who don¹t belong there. We need to deal with the reality that teachers need tools, resources and support to do their jobs well.
While there are struggling public schools, there are also successful public schools across the country that are helping children from all backgrounds achieve success in them, unheralded teachers, administrators and school board members are doing extraordinary things every day. Unfortunately, this film doesn¹t feature those schools or educators.
We hope that as you view this film and discuss it with your friends and peers, that you keep in mind that this is entertainment, and that we continue to serve ALL students well.
OPEN HOUSES
Feedback has been positive in response to all of our Open Houses that have taken place. Parents have made comments to me that they are beginning the year with great expectations. West Bloomfield High School held their second Freshman Mentorship Day which was an overwhelming success. Freshmen meet with their Junior and Senior mentors and through team building activities, they establish a relationship that day which lasts throughout the year. Mentors help them in areas that they are challenged by and they stay connected through email, social networks and in person. It’s important to recognize that for students to be successful in school, they must have successful relationships as well. This program makes it possible for our freshmen to have a smooth transition into high school.
LEGISLATURE
This is our current legislative update from Judy Allen, Director Government & Community Services with Oakland Schools.
Shift of School Aid Dollars Occurs – The Senate passed legislation (HB 6086) to divert $208.4 million of State School Aid Fund (SAF) dollars to the Community College budget. The bill also transferred the same amount of General Fund (GF) dollars from the Community College budget to the General Fund to balance the State’s budget gap for FY 2009-10.
Federal Education Jobs Fund – The Governor did file the State’s application for Education Jobs Fund monies on September 7 indicating the funding ($318 million for Michigan) would be allocated through the state’s primary funding formula for elementary and secondary education. (The application can be viewed at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/educationjobsfund/applications/michigan.pdf.) However, the method by which the funds will be dispersed remains unresolved.
The House passed HB 5872 on August 25 recommending the one-time money be used in FY 2010-11 to restore the $154 per pupil reduction under Section 11d, restore $16 million to ISDs, and appropriate $50 million balance through the 2x formula (providing a one-time allocation of between $17 and $34 per pupil).
What does this mean for West Bloomfield?
The Education Jobs bill could restore $154 plus $17, that would yield $1.2 million. The governor is opposed to this plan. A second option is a 2X formula that would yield about $700,000 to West Bloomfield. This is the plan the governor supports and has promised to veto the restoration of $154 per pupil + 2X ($17) as it affects West Bloomfield . The difference of $1.2 million – $700,000 is about $500,000 loss to our district.
We need your support. Please contact the Governor and your legislators and let them know that we would like them to support the restoration of $154 and +2x for all schools. This is urgent as it is possible that a decision may be made soon.
For more information, please read House Bill 5872 on www.Michigan.gov website.
Have a safe weekend!
