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1b.  What do you believe should be our priority when it comes to improving education in our community/state? Who is responsible for making that happen?

Where to start? Having four kids, I have experience as a parent and volunteer in public, private and charter schools. Each has met specific needs at specific times for my very different children. There are EXCELLENT teachers in all of them. In our experience, the majority of teachers care deeply and want to be effective (they certainly aren’t in it for the money or “summers off”) but ineffective systems and bureaucratic red tape can prevent them from being as effective as they would like, especially in the public schools. (A side note, of all the places we’ve been, public schools are, hands down, my favorite).

            I think, more often than not, system failures are the biggest problem in our schools. I know too many teachers in public schools who do not feel the freedom to really teach. They have to justify every single thing they choose to do in the classroom to a corresponding “standard”. Their performance is so tied to test scores that they are scared NOT to teach to the tests, even though there may be things they would love explore with their students, things that may provide opportunities to ignite passions for learning, but may not fit into a specific “standard”.  We have lost many experienced, successful and effective teachers who are leaving the profession because their “hands are handcuffed” to testing and they feel they can no longer really teach intuitively. We need to re-examine our end-goals: is it to get good test scores or is it to develop a life-long love of learning, critical thinking and exploration? I think when we focus on the second goal of learning; the first goal of improved test scores naturally follows.

Class sizes are another important issue in education. As mentioned in “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman”, reduced class sizes have proven very effective in improving education. Personally, I think this is, in part, because of the relationship building that can happen when a teacher has fewer students. They have more time to get to know and understand their students and can thereby work in ways that fit each students needs. Large class sizes make this incredibly difficult. Relationships are one of the greatest tools teachers have at their disposal.

            Decision making at classroom, school and local levels should be another priority in education. So many resources are wasted in bureaucracy. Politicians and not educators are making decisions. I think teachers have the best ideas for what works in their classrooms, yet they are bound by decisions they have no part of. “Waiting for Superman” vilified teachers unions. I think unions can sometimes get “too big” or forget their purpose, or be unwilling to explore new ways of doing things, but for now, it is the best voice educators have at the legislative level, and it is imperative that our teachers have a voice.

            “Who is responsible for improving education” is a complicated question. Parents are responsible to be involved in their child’s education and not leave it up to the school systems. Teachers are responsible to do their best in their classrooms and not let frustrations interfere with the day-to-day work of teaching. Administrators are responsible to work with their parents and listen to their staff, encouraging freedom and creativity in teaching. State and federal legislatures are responsible for ensuring existing systems further real education and not interfere with it.

2.   Do you think that Charter Schools are the direction we need to be headed for bettering our educational system? Why or why not?

             I teach art in an enrichment program at a local charter school so my answer is long on this one. I definitely think there is a place for charter schools. I do not think it is the “magic answer” to fix what is broken in the public school system, however, nor do I think funds should be disproportionately diverted from general public education to fund charter schools, especially in areas where public education is working. I am a strong proponent of public education.

First, there are a couple of things I want to address about charter schools, based on what came up in both “The Inconvenient Truth behind “Waiting for Superman” and the Bill Moyers interview with Diane Ravitch. Both resources stated there is very little oversight and accountability for public charter schools. This is not my experience. Our school is audited monthly by state educational authorities. We have an intense certification process. In fact, state personnel recently spent extended time at our school, going over every administrative detail, sitting in every class, interviewing teachers, students, parents, etc., in order for us to renew our charter and accreditation. There is a great deal of oversight and accountability. I assumed this is normal, but perhaps only in our state? In addition, we have to work closely with the school district we are a part of. They appreciate our role, as we appreciate theirs. There is not the sense of competition that was presented as “fact” in the documentaries.  Our charter school does fill a specific need however, which could be the reason there is not this rivalry. It is also why I firmly believe there is a place for charter schools. Unlike the charter schools presented in the videos, 20% of our students have special needs, and that number is growing. We have an exceptional special needs department. Thirty-nine percent of our students are low-income. In addition, our high school demographic is unique in that 60% of our high school students are “second chance kids”; students who were in danger of dropping out or not graduating due to credit deficiencies or social, physical, and mental health struggles. Fitting in at traditional public schools was not working and our charter school provides an option. Ninety-eight percent of our students feel they are in a safe environment where they can focus on learning. One high school student in my work center recently told me that VO (our school) probably “saved his life”. So yes, there is a place for charter schools, especially when they are meeting needs that traditional public schools are not able to meet for whatever reason.

Understanding that there are circumstances where charter schools are a good option, I do struggle with charter schools that divert public education funds to provide “elite” education in areas where education is already very good. Specifically, “Waiting for Superman” highlighted Summit Preparatory High School versus Woodside High School in Redwood City, California. Living in Silicon Valley, I know that we generally have excellent public schools (I am familiar with Woodside High School, several of my daughters friends attended there) yet specialized charter schools are gaining in popularity. I understand wanting your child to have every opportunity, but in already good school districts, I wonder if those funds couldn't better be used to improve and expand programs in existing schools that serve everyone, not just those lucky enough to “get in”. In areas where public schools aren't good and charter schools are currently proving the best option for a good general education, I think public schools should look at if, how and why charter schools are able to be successful within the same demographicsand per-student spending and learn from them. Without those factors being equal, it is hard to make an accurate and helpful comparison. I absolutely hated learning of the charter schools that took physical space from existing schools and students of those schools having access to technology, music, art and other “extras” that most other students didn’t have access to. I don't think any charter school should be funded at the expense of and direct detriment to other schools in the district. 

3.  Describe the vast differences between Isabelle’s experiences at Troy High School vs Sophia’s at Santa Ana High School.

            All factors seeming equal, as far as per student spending, student-teacher ratios, teacher education and experience and number of guidance counselors, the two schools have very different outcomes based on the demographics of the student population. Troy is academically rigorous. Students are concerned about grades; so much so, there is a great amount of pressure to compete for the best academic performance. As far as most students are concerned, a “B” grade is considered failing. It is assumed students will graduate and go on to college. Extracurricular opportunities abound due to parent and community funding. Students feel the teachers care about them and go above and beyond for them. Isabelle felt supported in her school, both academically and in life (Putnam, 2013).

Santa Ana is completely different however. Students are violent, often lashing out at other students as well as teachers. They seem to have no interest in being there, let alone in academic achievement. In this environment, teachers and administrators have seemingly “checked-out”, so even those wanting help have a hard time getting it. College preparation is not a consideration, unless a student is in honors classes but there is no direction in how to get involved in honors and advanced placement. The “smart kids” stay to themselves. Sophia felt like no one cared enough to really help her be successful, even as she and her sister reached out for help. Finally she found success in petitioning the school district to leave Santa Ana High School and finish at a continuation high school (Putnam, 2013).

4. Discuss how the power of one’s race is still overlooked in children’s education today?

Because it is against the law to deny admittance to any public school based on race, it is assumed that segregation by race is no longer an issue. While bussing helped desegregate schools in 1969 in areas such as Charlotte, NC, the end of bussing, by court ruling in 1999, began the process of segregation once again. What used to be a 60% white to 40% black ratio in schools in Charlotte, after bussing, is now nearing 88% of black children attending primarily black schools. This trend is seen throughout the nation. In many areas, desegregation never really happened. Segregation in schools now seemingly follows along economic lines, so it masks the racial differences in schools, and many claim it’s changes in neighborhood make-up and not race that is causing the segregation. As affluent white families, and upper class minority families, have moved out of cities into suburbs, and bussing into schools of varying demographics, both racial and economic, schools have become increasingly less diverse, if they ever were to begin with (Nazaryn, 2018).  Blaming the segregation on economic considerations alone masks underlying prejudices that perhaps have never really changed. That, and increasing autonomy in education, where the goal is no longer for the community good, but for individual opportunity and advancement, segregation will continue to be a problem.  

5. What other solutions can you suggest to assure that ALL children receive equal education, no matter what school district they live in?

            In addition to what was mentioned in 1b, I would like to see more overall funding for public schools as well as changes in how schools are funded. Per student spending should be equalized so students in every district have an equal chance at a good education. I’m not sure how best this could be achieved. Already, after the passing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (renewed with No Child Left Behind in 2002, and the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015), a greater percentage of federal education funds are earmarked to equalize education in low-income schools (Paul, 2016). Still, the majority of school funding comes from local tax revenue and wealthy districts have more revenue to fund their schools. ESEA funds are not enough to bridge the funding gaps. The US is one of the only countries in the developed world where local economies dictate school funding (Semuels, 2016). To overhaul funding, essentially a greater percentage of state funds would go to the districts that need it the most, while districts with higher local funds would receive less state money. Funding change strategies like this worked in Massachusetts (Carapezza, 2016). Although, living where I live, I think this would cause uproar! As mentioned in “An Inconvenient Truth”, it often is very much what is best for my child rather than what is best for the community as a whole. I’m a parent; I get wanting the best education for your child, but I also think that when education across communities prosper, the whole system is better for it. Every student deserves access to the same education, regardless of zip code. 

            As an art teacher, I have to add this one: education in the arts needs to be brought back into the classrooms, especially at the elementary level. In California, where there has historically been a detailed arts education framework, deep cuts in arts and music make it possible for students to go from kindergarten to 12th grade with absolutely no arts education, especially in rural and low-income areas. In wealthier areas, parent and corporate donations often bridge the gap in arts education, but this is not the case in poorer districts. In addition to state laws affecting arts education, the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act saw the elimination of programs that are not measured by testing or do not directly affect testing: namely the arts (Jones, 2017).  However, research suggests that arts education does have a place in academics and does indeed benefit school environments, promoting engagement support, and even carry over into higher test scores (Kisida & Bowen, 2019).  

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