I Promise School

[MuggsyB]

Apparently 8th graders at Lebron's school in Akron haven't passed a State math test in three years.  This is rather alarming to say the least.  I'm not blaming Lebron and I think his intentions are good.  It's also important to note that Covid and kids being out of school have probably impacted test-scores.  That said if this school is completely failing you have to wonder what's happening at our schools across the country?  There are very good teachers but clearly there are a lot of bad ones as well.  IMO we need to completely revamp our entire primary and secondary educational system.  It's an absolute s-show.   I am curious the ideas Scoopers have to change this?  I have some but want to here from the experts here. 

[Skatastrophy]

Apparently 8th graders at Lebron's school in Akron haven't passed a State math test in three years.  This is rather alarming to say the least.  I'm not blaming Lebron and I think his intentions are good.  It's also important to note that Covid and kids being out of school have probably impacted test-scores.  That said if this school is completely failing you have to wonder what's happening at our schools across the country?  There are very good teachers but clearly there are a lot of bad ones as well.  IMO we need to completely revamp our entire primary educational system.  It's an absolute s-show.   I am curious the ideas Scoopers have to change this?  I have some but want to here from the experts here. 

Isn't that the school that's taking on the most challenging, marginal students and trying to get them back into the education system?

Yep just looked it up - The kids attending the I Promise School were identified as the worst performers in the Akron public schools and branded with behavioral problems. Some as young as 8 were considered at risk of not graduating.

Gotta try something to keep these kids in school.

[The Sultan]

Yeah, I wouldn't use this school as representative of the entire educational system.

[MuggsyB]

Yes, but they've put an enormous amount of resources in this school. 

[MUBurrow]

Yep just looked it up - The kids attending the I Promise School were identified as the worst performers in the Akron public schools and branded with behavioral problems. Some as young as 8 were considered at risk of not graduating.

Yep.  Articles without context citing to the school's aggregate standardized math test scores that lead Muggsy to come on here and label the school as "completely failing" is emblematic of our broken discourse around education - but that's about the end of its utility in analyzing the issue.

[Skatastrophy]

Yes, but they've put an enormous amount of resources in this school. 

The school receives identical local, state and federal funding as any other public school but the additional services surrounding the school are funded by Lebron.

What's your gripe there?

To fix the US education system we need to eliminate all private schools and home schools. Make them illegal. Ensure that the wealthy will have a vested interest in improving the public school system, which is the system that their kids will have to go through. That will fix the US education problem in 1 year, bringing us up to par with the rest of the developed world.

[The Sultan]

Yep.  Articles without context citing to the school's aggregate standardized math test scores that lead Muggsy to come on here and label the school as "completely failing" is emblematic of our broken discourse around education - but that's about the end of its utility in analyzing the issue.

Yep.

[Jay Bee]

The school receives identical local, state and federal funding as any other public school but the additional services surrounding the school are funded by Lebron.

***by the LeBron James Family Foundation

[MuggsyB]

The fact remains that our public schools are completely failing our children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.  In particular our black children.  I am of the belief that we as a society are responsible and we're doing an inordinately crappy job.  I don't subscribe to the "these are problem kids" narrative. That's defeatist and horribly unfair.We actually need to do something about it instead of accepting garbage results.

[The Sultan]

The fact remains that our public schools are completely failing our children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.  In particular our black children.  I am of the belief that we as a society are responsible and we're doing an inordinately crappy job.  I don't subscribe to the "these are problem kids" narrative.
That's defeatist and horribly unfair.We actually need to do something about it instead of accepting garbage results.

Saying they are "completely failing" is hyperbolic nonsense. To assert that its solely the fault of "our public schools" is simplistic.

It is a multi-layered problem that's going to take more than our school systems to fix. It is intertwined with all sorts of issues than are completely outside the control of the public schools.

[MuggsyB]

The school receives identical local, state and federal funding as any other public school but the additional services surrounding the school are funded by Lebron.

What's your gripe there?

So eliminate all private schools?  That's obviously absurd. 

To fix the US education system we need to eliminate all private schools and home schools. Make them illegal. Ensure that the wealthy will have a vested interest in improving the public school system, which is the system that their kids will have to go through. That will fix the US education problem in 1 year, bringing us up to par with the rest of the developed world.

[MuggsyB]

Saying they are "completely failing" is hyperbolic nonsense. To assert that its solely the fault of "our public schools" is simplistic.

It is a multi-layered problem that's going to take more than our school systems to fix. It is intertwined with all sorts of issues than are completely outside the control of the public schools.

It's been a problem forever and we continue to fail. 

[muwarrior69]

The school receives identical local, state and federal funding as any other public school but the additional services surrounding the school are funded by Lebron.

What's your gripe there?

To fix the US education system we need to eliminate all private schools and home schools. Make them illegal. Ensure that the wealthy will have a vested interest in improving the public school system, which is the system that their kids will have to go through. That will fix the US education problem in 1 year, bringing us up to par with the rest of the developed world.

So Religious affiliated schools would be illegal. I think that would violate the free speech and free exercise clauses in the Constitution.

[MuggsyB]

The I Promise Schhol has fewer than 250 kids.   This is an utter and complete failure.  Not a single 8th grader could pass the math exam?  Ridiculous.  And alarming.  To see it any other way is being intellectually dishonest. 

[The Sultan]

It's been a problem forever and we continue to fail. 

Maybe it's been a problem forever because its nearly impossible to fix. The best we can probably hope for is to lift up a significant enough number of people to make a difference.

Anyway, the greatest barrier to inter-generational social mobility is economic inequality. We aren't going to fix the former until we get serious about the latter.

https://www.investopedia.com/the-great-gatsby-curve-5205821

[WhiteTrash]

So Religious affiliated schools would be illegal. I think that would violate the free speech and free exercise clauses in the Constitution.

Relax, that was a joke.

[21Jumpstreet]

The I Promise Schhol has fewer than 250 kids.   This is an utter and complete failure.  Not a single 8th grader could pass the math exam?  Ridiculous.  And alarming.  To see it any other way is being intellectually dishonest.

Maybe a standardized math exam focuses on the wrong thing. What if this school develops curious learners, kids who feel confident, kids who see they can improve their situation and see the support to help them get there. Education is more than math.

[Skatastrophy]

So Religious affiliated schools would be illegal. I think that would violate the free speech and free exercise clauses in the Constitution.

As long as the wealthy's children are able to avoid the public education system entirely, the public school system will suffer. It's much easier and cheaper for the wealthy to ensure there's one good school for their kid rather than bringing everyone up.

And private schools are protected by the 14th amendment, according to the courts. The liberty part, specifically - https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/14th-amendment#:~:text=No%20State%20shall%20make%20or,equal%20protection%20of%20the%20laws.

[MUBurrow]

The fact remains that our public schools are completely failing our children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.  In particular our black children.  I am of the belief that we as a society are responsible and we're doing an inordinately crappy job.  I don't subscribe to the "these are problem kids" narrative. That's defeatist and horribly unfair.We actually need to do something about it instead of accepting garbage results.

Good on you Muggs! This virtue signaling is doing much more for the education system, and in particuar, those kids in Akron as compared to creating a school solely for the most disadvantaged kids in an economically deprived part of the country!

[Jockey]

The I Promise Schhol has fewer than 250 kids.   This is an utter and complete failure.  Not a single 8th grader could pass the math exam?  Ridiculous.  And alarming.  To see it any other way is being intellectually dishonest.

I guess these kids' ancestors missed out on the benefits that slavery provided, so the kids started life behind the 8-ball.

[The Sultan]

The I Promise Schhol has fewer than 250 kids.   This is an utter and complete failure.  Not a single 8th grader could pass the math exam?  Ridiculous.  And alarming.  To see it any other way is being intellectually dishonest. 

Yes of course it's alarming. It shows that even with enormous resources devoted to a small population, it is incredibly difficult to have a significant impact on certain populations.

Being "intellectually dishonest" is not acknowledging the circumstances around the population the school serves.

[Jay Bee]

Maybe a standardized math exam focuses on the wrong thing. What if this school develops curious learners, kids who feel confident, kids who see they can improve their situation and see the support to help them get there. Education is more than math.

But is math, math?

[Herman Cain]

As long as the wealthy's children are able to avoid the public education system entirely, the public school system will suffer. It's much easier and cheaper for the wealthy to ensure there's one good school for their kid rather than bringing everyone up.

And private schools are protected by the 14th amendment, according to the courts. The liberty part, specifically - https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/14th-amendment#:~:text=No%20State%20shall%20make%20or,equal%20protection%20of%20the%20laws.

There are plenty of very good public schools that are in wealthy areas. Places like Westchester County in NY, All over Fairfield County in CT, variois places in Long Island and NJ, North Shore Chicago, etc

Poor performing schools are more a function of the lack of generally acceptable social standards of parents than they are of a lack of resources.

[Uncle Rico]

Apparently 8th graders at Lebron's school in Akron haven't passed a State math test in three years.  This is rather alarming to say the least.  I'm not blaming Lebron and I think his intentions are good.  It's also important to note that Covid and kids being out of school have probably impacted test-scores.  That said if this school is completely failing you have to wonder what's happening at our schools across the country?  There are very good teachers but clearly there are a lot of bad ones as well.  IMO we need to completely revamp our entire primary and secondary educational system.  It's an absolute s-show.   I am curious the ideas Scoopers have to change this?  I have some but want to here from the experts here.

The last thing some people want is an educated public.

[Uncle Rico]

There are plenty of very good public schools that are in wealthy areas. Places like Westchester County in NY, All over Fairfield County in CT, variois places in Long Island and NJ, North Shore Chicago, etc

Poor performing schools are more a function of the lack of generally acceptable social standards of parents than they are of a lack of resources.

This is a lie