Adams presents SLPS plan

Saturday’s meeting of the district’s Special Administrative Board,

St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Kelvin Adams presented bold

and incisive proposals for the 2011/2012 school year, focusing on

early education, enrollment retention and more education options

for families.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Most of the comments from the public –

both supporting and opposing – targeted his proposal for

district-sponsored charters schools.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Adams

“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>said, “Data

is clear that we have to look at other options, not just for the

25,000 students in the district, but for the 35,000 students

attending school in the city.”

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Adams

“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>has the

powerful support of teacher-union leaders to sponsor in-house

charters as a way of increasing enrollment.

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“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>“Charter

schools are a reality in St. Louis,” said Mary Armstrong, president

of the American Federation of Teachers union, Local 420. “We have

continually suggested that charters should only be issued

in-district and not isolated islands ripe for

privatization.”

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>The board will make its decision whether

to approve Adams’ plan on Feb. 17. Between now and then, the

district will hold town hall meetings and provide more details

regarding the plan’s goals for accountability, enrollment and

financial backing.

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“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Adams

“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>did not

address school closures, but he told board members it would be an

issue presented to them soon. However, he proposed that the

district use academic performance – not demographics or geography –

to decide which schools to close or keep open.

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lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Early education

In the

2010-2011 school year, the district ran 77 preschool classrooms for

ages 3 to 5. However, 472 children were on the waiting lists for

preschool slots. Although the state does not fund or mandate the

district’s early childhood education programs, Adams believes that

these programs build strong communities. Hence, Adams proposes to

add 25 additional preschool classrooms using federal and grant

funding.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>National statistics show that children who

attend an early childhood program are more likely to graduate from

high school than those who do not attend.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Also research indicates that every $1

invested in such educational programs saves taxpayers $7 in

services such as welfare and criminal justice, Adams

said.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>“We believe it will make a difference in

the long term,” he said. “In five years, people will see the

effects of every kind in the city by supporting early childhood

education.”

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lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>More options

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Adams

“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>said the

district should offer a “portfolio of schools,” including charter

schools, African-centered curriculum programs, alternative

education for at-risk students and gender-specific

schools.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>“We are not going into the business of

charter schools, but we will have the conversation of the district

sponsoring its own charter schools,” he said.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>As part of the plan, the

district-sponsored charter schools will lease vacant SLPS

buildings, which the district has not previously permitted for

other charter schools.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>All of the school options, except for

charter schools, will be put in place in the 2011-2012 school year,

Adams said. However, it will be at a manageable level. The district

will start with gender-specific or African-centered classrooms,

rather than converting entire schools.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>In the spring, Adams also proposes giving

eighth graders the option to choose their high school. Eighth

graders who are not already going to a magnet or choice high school

will have the option to choose between the four comprehensive high

schools (Beaumont, Roosevelt, Sumner and Vashon).

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>As in the rest of the country, teenage

pregnancy is an issue for the district. Currently, the Parent

Infant Interaction Program (PIIP) at Vashon High School services 33

families with children ages six weeks to five years. Sixty six

percent of PIIP students graduate and enroll in a secondary

institution. Adams would like to implement PIIP programs in all

district high schools, he said.

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lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Support for

charters

In public

comments, Bertha Gilkey-Bonds, of the Black Alliance for Education

Option, supported Adams’ proposal of charter schools.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>“I commend Dr. Adams for taking on the

challenge,” she said. “Our children are in a house that’s on fire.

Without education, there are three options for our children: life

of poverty, the penitentiary and death. None of those are

acceptable.”

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“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Susan Turk, a

longtime public-education activist and reporter, pointed to a

Stanford study which found that only 17 percent of charter schools

nationwide reported academic gains that were significantly better

than traditional public schools.

“mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;”>

“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>“Don’t our

students deserve better than a one in six plan?” Turk

asked.

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“font-family: Verdana;” lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>The same

study also found that charter school students in Missouri had

higher gains in reading and math compared to their traditional

public school peers. African-American and Hispanic students had a

larger and more positive learning effect in charter schools

compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools, the

study found.

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lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Prop S projects

At the

meeting, Roger CayCe, the district’s executive director of

operations and building commissioner, proposed his timeline for the

$155 million district renovations, which will be funded by the Prop

S bond issue that voters passed in August.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>In the fall, the district selected Kwame

Building Group, a St. Louis-based minority business enterprise, as

the project manager.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>On Jan. 20, nine design and architect

groups put in bids for the SLPS projects. Those include St. Louis

firms: HKW Architects, Chiodini Associates, KAI Design & Build,

TDP/St. Louis Inc., Grice Group Architects/Trivers Associate

Architects joint venture, Lawrence Group, David Mason and

Associates and KAI Design & Build joint venture. Midwest Design

and Construction. Fleming Construction of Louisiana has also bid.

The district will select a company this week.

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>A presentation on food service showed that

the district could save an estimated $300,000 annually by moving

back to an in-house food service. School officials proposed doing

this by building kitchens at four additional elementary schools to

be operational fall 2011 and expanding high school kitchens to be

the “hubs” for food service at adjacent elementary

schools.

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lang=”EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Turner court

ruling

“EN-US” xml:lang=”EN-US”>Another issue facing the district is the

recent