Do charter schools help rural districts with 300 students?
If you have time, take a look at this article from Education Week. The article examines how the Obama-Duncan education reforms will impact America’s rural schools and the 13 million students they serve.
A chief concern of rural educators is the administration’s emphasis on creating new charter schools to buoy student achievement. They say that some rural districts can barely fill their existing schools now, never mind afford to open new schools.
As an example, the article states: ”Denise Juneau, Montana’s superintendent of schools, in a July 28 letter to Mr. Duncan, formally objected to the federal department’s use of charter schools as one metric by which states will be judged. She pointed out that only 6 percent of her state’s school districts have student populations greater than 500, while 54 percent have enrollments of fewer than 100. The state doesn’t have charter schools, which are publicly funded but largely autonomous. ‘Montana’s rural context and economic status has made it challenging for many communities and the state to support the public schools we currently have, much less encourage the duplication of infrastructure a charter school would mean in most communities,’ wrote Ms. Juneau in the letter.”
The article also talks about a concern that I have — attracting top-of-the line teachers to rural schools. It’s great to urge the hiring of bright teachers and inspiring principals, but how do you entice them to rural districts?
I doubt that a $5,000 signing bonus will prod a Morehouse or Emory grad to forsake their midtown loft, Starbuck’s and MJQ dance club and move to a town that doesn’t even offer a Wal-Mart. The biggest drawback would be the lack of a peer group in the area, friends with whom to pal around and catch a movie, provided there is a triplex in the town.
I spent a few weeks visiting rural Georgia systems a while back. As I walked through the deserted downtowns in the early evening, I wondered how schools could lure 27-year-old classroom wunderkinds to these withering-on-the-vine towns with no nightlife, no stores and hardly any other young professionals. (Is researcher Martin Haberman right? He once told me that rural schools, like urban schools, must focus on growing their own great teachers from their local communities rather than count on “missionaries” who come for two years and then flee.)
As the Ed Week piece notes: “… small districts in isolated areas face big challenges when it comes to teacher and principal recruitment and to professional-development opportunities. In addition, small districts don’t have the luxury of big central-office staffs and a host of curriculum specialists, which can be especially helpful in turning around low-performing schools—another priority of Secretary Duncan’s.”
Are rural schools so different that they require their own rules and reform models? And what should those rules and models be?
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20 comments Add your comment
A Week From Today « a Teacher’s Education
September 2nd, 2009
4:33 am
[...] Do charter schools help rural districts with 300 students? | Get … [...]
motherjanegoose
September 2nd, 2009
7:02 am
As an educator who trains educators, I see these small towns often. I was invited to speak at a conference in Montana but had a conflict and unfortunately could not attend. I was disappointed, as it is the only one of 50 states I have not visited. I have since met a consultant from Montana who told me “we WILL get you to our state….” I hope so, as I have heard it is beautiful!
Another thought to explore is the small town attitude that does not readily accept outsiders. In the south, I call it ‘Y’AINT FROM ‘ROUND HERE….” There are other variations in other parts of the country and it takes a lot of maturity to overcome some of the ill will that the locals may have when someone new is introduced.
I have personally traveled from Maine to Alaska and have met some wonderful folks who truly have a passion for teaching and learning.
Tony
September 2nd, 2009
10:53 am
The first problem I have with Duncan’s and Obama’s statements is there is no evidence that charter schools improve student achievement. DC’s recent release of charter school vs regular school achievement data reveal the traditional public schools did a much better job of improving student achievement. The push for specific reforms like charter schools come from agendas that do not care about real data. They prefer to march around and scare people to death with made up stories about how horrible public schools are.
I grew up in a rural area of Florida. It is still rural and is largely populated with old-time Floridians. Not the newly transplanted varieties. It is difficult to attract some people to areas like that, but that might be a good thing. They are able to attract people who share similar values. These values are more important to them than having someone who prefers the “night life” that might be offered by big cities. They are not interested in that life style and much prefer to have school leaders who are grounded with similar values.
In many ways these districts are better off.
Maureen's accountability metric
September 2nd, 2009
12:06 pm
The article really said this?
“In addition, small districts don’t have the luxury of big central-office staffs and a host of curriculum specialists, which can be especially helpful in turning around low-performing schools—another priority of Secretary Duncan’s.”
And Duncan really believes this? And he really wants people to believe an integral part of the solution to our education woes is a large central office bureaucracy?
Is this change we can believe in, or as The Who sang, “Meet the new boss; same as the old boss”? Sorry, won’t get fooled again.
Gisele Huff
September 2nd, 2009
12:44 pm
Denise Juneau is misguided as are those who only think inside the box and dismiss the idea of charter schools for rural districts. Outside the box, there are charter-run and state-run virtual schools that deliver quality education to all kinds of students in all kinds of places. The Race-to-the-Top bonanza is meant to prod states to find entirely new ways to tackle old problems and the increased use of technology to deliver curricula to hard to reach, hard to staff areas is one of them.
Maureen's accountability metric
September 2nd, 2009
1:15 pm
And out of curiosity Ms. Huff, do you think “big central office staffs” and an increase in the educational bureaucracy, are an integral part of the solution?
jim d
September 2nd, 2009
2:55 pm
Mam,
If “big central office staffs” and an increase in the educational bureaucracy, were part of the solution Gwinnett County would be the best in the Country! and perhaps they are best at intimidating teachers, parents, local and state politicans and the press. Best at breaking state sunshine laws, best at hiding behind closed door meetings. Number one at having their way at any cost.Not to mention being rated near the top of one of the lowest ranking systems in the country.
Now ain’t that something to be proud of?
maureen's accountability metric
September 2nd, 2009
3:48 pm
jim d,
Why do I get the sinking feeling that Arne Duncan might very well come here in the future to say how “proud” he is of Gwinnett?
I don’t know what’s more depressing; that he might actually do this, or that he might have to fight for media coverage with the Wal-Mart slapper.
Is it possible the Apocalypse has started, and we don’t even know it?
Cere
September 2nd, 2009
6:05 pm
Are all rural schools suffering or should we simply target the ones who are showing signs of trouble? This could be a good opportunity for Teach for America or some such. Let’s not get too carried away trying to make rural folks like city folks. I like ‘em the way they are.
BTW – motherjanegoose, when you do go to Montana – be sure to rent a really fun car (convertible?) and drive the entire length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road through Glacier National Park. What a blast! And when you get to the other side, you are about 2 miles from the Canadian border where you need to stop in at a little restaurant with the best homemade pies and SWEET tea — because the proprietor is from Georgia!
ScienceTeacher671
September 2nd, 2009
6:10 pm
We have a stack of curriculum specialists in our central office, and one in each school. I have yet to find anyone who can tell me what they do. We certainly don’t see them in the classrooms.
ScienceTeacher671
September 2nd, 2009
9:01 pm
For these small rural districts, whether in Montana or Georgia, charter schools, vouchers, etc. are not likely to work, simply because the district is too small to support much choice.
In Georgia, although the state constitution says that the state should provide each student a free and adequate education, paid for by taxation, the education provided is “more adequate” in some districts than in others. This is becaused the majority of the funding is not provided by the state, as the constitution suggests it should be, but by local property taxes, and some areas have a larger tax base than others.
Oddly enough, these areas with a larger tax base also tend to have higher achievement. It’s probably not all due to the better funding, but that probably doesn’t hurt, either.
Maureen Downey
September 2nd, 2009
9:06 pm
ScienceTeacher671: Perhaps that’s a future blog topic. What do curriculum specialists and all the other people with similar titles do exactly?
I have noticed that many new superintendents create new cabinet-level positions as soon as they arrive. I wonder if it as simple as wanting your own posse around you when you are the new sheriff in town.
Maureen
Maureen's accountability metric
September 2nd, 2009
10:06 pm
Speaking of administrative positions that no one can seem to define an exact purpose for, Maureen have you gotten a response from the questions you sent Crawford Lewis in DeKalb County?
Rob
September 3rd, 2009
1:10 am
This must stop! Hussein Obama taking over schools with communist propaganda is evil and un-American. BO has never given a birth certificate! Fellow Republicans, keep pushing on this because we have them on the run. They have no answer to this basic fact: no proof of natural born status. Obama wants to kill our grandparents, then us! VOTE REPUBLICAN AS IF YOURE LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! IT PROBABLY DOES!
Trying to educate in Macon
September 3rd, 2009
6:55 am
jim d – Gwinnett County isn’t the only place that is top heavy with mysterious central office bureuacracy. Bibb County schools continue to create positions for Assistant Superintendents, Curriculum “specialists”, and we’ll-find-a-name-for-the-position-later. The result in the schools? – continued failing of students.
Camille
September 3rd, 2009
8:09 am
While I will admit that I haven’t looked into the administration’s reforms concerning charter schools, I have to ask, why not take the policies and procedures that are seen as more desirable in charter schools and just apply them to public schools? Why the push for charter schools? It just appears to me that if the Department of Education feels that charter schools have some type of advantage over public schools, then why not just do the same with the public schools and eliminate the need to funnel taxpayer money into yet another school.
John
September 3rd, 2009
8:51 am
Many of these teachers don’t live in these rural communities but instead live in the nearby smaller cities.. Go to your smaller metropolitan areas like Albany, Rome, Athens, and Valdosta. You would be amazed at the huge numbers of teachers who live in those communities that have most of the things that attract recent college graduates but who drive 30 to even 50 miles to surrounding small towns to teach. That is how rural communities get their teachers. A lot of them eventually find themselves attracted to something or someone in those rural towns and they end up moving or settling there.
Cere
September 3rd, 2009
9:58 am
Why is Duncan so bent on closing schools (he says he’s going at schools with a “chainsaw”) and reopening them as charters with new staffs? Why can’t rural schools take advantage of the technologies available? There’s a wonderful online curriculum, used by the state of GA, but available nationwide, called k12. That’s just one example. Teachers don’t have to literally live in your town anymore. You can learn almost anything you desire online – and you get real interaction with a real teacher and classmates. Doesn’t Duncan know this?
Gary Carmichael
September 3rd, 2009
10:26 pm
As a teacher and parent from Montana I would like to add some local insight to the debate. The small schools in Montana successfully equip our students with the skill sets they will need for a successful future. I believe the key to success here in Montana is that the schools are controlled by locally elected school boards that give great support to the students, parents and teachers. The notion that a charter school would be more responsive is nonsense. (If the school board is not effective the community will vote to replace those members. Democracy works!)
Twenty years ago when I began teaching in a very small high school (less than 50 students) the school board had language education delivered via distance learning and a plethora of other offerings that the staff could not offer. Were teachers highly qualified? Absolutely! That is because the local control of the school demanded the best for their kids. As a parent, I want nothing but the best education for my own children and those that I teach. I am saddened that Secretary Duncan thinks that what would work in Chicago would work in Saco (Pop. 230). I hope Secretary Duncan and the Department of Education does not penalize Montana and other rural kids. We have great students, parents and teachers, maybe instead of mandating the “big city” way maybe they should look at effective rural models and not hurt my kids!
Gary Carmichael
2007 Montana Teacher of the Year
Liz
September 8th, 2009
9:38 pm
I’m from rural north Georgia and am in grad school to become a teacher. Perhaps some teachers come back to their hometowns to give the next generation a better education than they had. There is, of course, little attraction to go back to a town with little to do, but sometimes something akin to duty calls.
There is something to be said for being a teacher who grew up in the same small town in which you teach… you can look at a student with a behavior problem and say, “don’t make me call your mama.”