FYI: Kathy Cox’s student advisory council seeks applicants
FYI, To parents and teachers who might know a willing and able teen. Sounds like a great fit for a high school student interested in education.
Superintendent Cox Seeks Student Advisors
INTERESTED STUDENTS: Courtney Burnett, External Affairs: (404)
657-1340 or cburnett@gadoe.org
AUGUST 10, 2009 — State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox is
accepting applications for her 2009-2010 Student Advisory Council.
The members of the Student Advisory Council meet three times during the
school year with Superintendent Cox to discuss how decisions made at the
state level are affecting students throughout Georgia. Members are
advisors and act as liaisons between the Department of Education and the
students of Georgia.
“For several years now, I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with
students on my Advisory Councils,” said State Superintendent of Schools
Kathy Cox. “I listen closely to the advice and concerns of these students
and share that information with others as we make statewide policy
decisions.”
All students in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply. Meeting dates are:
November 9, 2009; January 25, 2010; and March 8, 2010 (dates are subject
to change.) Applicants should be able to attend all three meetings.
To be eligible for the Council, applications must be received by
September 30, 2009.
MORE INFORMATION
- Student Advisory Council Website -
http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/sup.aspx?PageReq=SUPSAC
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11 comments Add your comment
Ernest
August 11th, 2009
6:17 am
Sounds like a great fit for a high school student interested in education.
I would also add this is a great fit for those interested in how to set policy. It opens ones eyes that it is not easy to make what some would think is a simple rule change as you must consider the impact and unintended consequences the action might have.
Ken Thompson
August 11th, 2009
7:18 am
“act as liaisons between the Department of Education and the students of Georgia”
OK, I’ll bite. Do these students sign a contract to go across the state speaking a school pep rallies like little Miss Georgias? Do they participate in PSAs aired over radio and TV (OK, podcasts)? Just how do they “liaise”?
It’s a PR stunt and political pandering. It is a warm wet feeling for the parents of the chosen. It is résumé fodder for a few students. It is a pint-sized, warmed over “Governor’s Honors”.
What, if any, educational value does this have even for the select few and is it a good use of tax dollars? Is this the best we can come up with?
Ernest
August 11th, 2009
9:16 am
Ken, aren’t you being a little harsh? It gives students an opportunity to see some of the inner workings of government while providing them an opportunity to participate. Heck, even in our day there were and still are internship opportunities to provide an opportunity to see an environment ‘up close’ that one might not have the opportunity too. Don’t knock exposing students to things like this…
mdowney
August 11th, 2009
11:04 am
Ken, I agree with Ernest. I received an e-mail from a student who had done this and felt it was worthwhile. At the very least, they meet a cross-section of kids from Georgia. Not sure of how much this costs the state, but I assume it’s very little. I will check with DOE and find out.
Maureen's accountability metric
August 11th, 2009
11:41 am
Maureen from a student’s perspective, I could see how it is very worthwhile. It makes them feel they are really giving “input,” pads the resume, and gives them a new experience.
But as far as the adults go, who are we kidding? Ken is absolutely right. These kids are no more affecting policy than a bug splattered on your windshield is affecting your fuel mileage.
Even if it’s a feel good story for the students chosen, it’s a dog and pony show and it’s perfectly ok to say it. In fact, honesty compels us to.
Cere
August 11th, 2009
1:11 pm
I think this is probably a good program – akin to serving as a page in the legislature – but if the state REALLY wants to set policy that will effect and improve education for all, they need to start interacting with students other than high-achievers. I’d love to see Cox sit down with groups of drop outs or struggling students and listen to their input too. Not everyone can handle the standard college-prep route – in fact, a majority of people do not go to traditional four-year colleges. I’d like to see the state offer alternatives for students who need them. We also need great plumbers and carpenters! As it is now, we’re training them for Harvard U or Hamburger U.
Cere
August 11th, 2009
1:14 pm
Of course, I’m speaking about high schools. Georgia has some really excellent tech schools at the college level — I’d like to see more crossover into high school with these programs. As it is now, many of them require a high school diploma before you can begin the tech diploma. That’s causing us to lose a whole bunch of students in the process. If we had seamless transition – say as seniors in high school – you could begin your college tech program – we would serve so many. I think there was a new law called “Move On When Ready” that was attempting to introduce this kind of thinking…
mdowney
August 11th, 2009
3:12 pm
Folks, Here is a very kind note from my former colleague Dana Tofig, who now works for DOE, answering some of your concerns about the student advisors:
Student advisory costs very very little. On occasion we will provide lunch, but usually the students pay for it themselves or it’s donated. The space for the meetings (we have it across the state at colleges and other locales) is donated and students (and their parents) agree to pay their own way for travel expenses, etc. when they apply.
To the poster who said we “also need good plumbers and carpenters,” please note that Georgia has classes that provide for that type of instruction, plus career academies across the state that go further than that. However, research shows that plumbers and carpenters also need to understand math, science, English and social studies too..
These are the courses descriptors for our “construction” pathway
http://www.gadoe.org/ci_cta.aspx?PageReq=CICTAEACCT
Dana Tofig
Director of Communications
Georgia Department of Education
Phone: 404-463-1487
Email: dtofig@doe.k12.ga.us
Website: http://www.gadoe.org
Ernest
August 11th, 2009
4:20 pm
Alright full disclosure on my part, one of my children served on this a few years ago. From my perspective, it was more the ‘exposure’ to this type of environment and ‘access’ the the State Superintendent that made this an interesting program. Did I expect them to ‘change education as we know it’ in Georgia by meeting 3-4 times for about 4 hours each time? No, but it did give them greater insight to how the education system works along with how one can make recommendations for changes.
Cere ( who is the great blogmistress of DeKalb School Watch) brings up a GREAT point about the messaging that comes from the Department of Education. We need to hear more about the ‘workforce’ opportunities that are available after high school. Yes, we can want all students to seek higher education but what if they want to delay that until later in life. Let’s make sure they are aware of other avenues that can help them compete in the marketplace with needed skills and/or certifications. DeKalb has the BEST workplace certification program for high school students in the state. I would bet that most citizens in DeKalb are unaware of this.
Pjj3
August 11th, 2009
5:19 pm
I’d be interested in serving on a parent advisory committee and being a part of THAT dialogue. Any chance of Superintendent Kathy Cox offering that opportunity?
mdowney
August 11th, 2009
5:23 pm
I don’t know if there is a parent advisory. Certainly, PTAs and PTOs serve that function in many respects, as does the state board of ed. I can ask Dana about it.