After
reading today's Washington Post story on Rocketship Charter Schools success in
California, my thoughts naturally turned to Prince George's County.[1]
One could easily imagine inviting the charter school here, but I wonder why the
public school system itself could not find a way to think creatively and, in consultation
with community and parents, try out a similar program at a few existing public
schools in the county.
Erin
Richards of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that "Rocketship has
been noted for producing high scores on standardized tests with pupils who are
predominantly Latino and poor. The schools combine tutor-led computer
instruction with face-to-face teaching and get many teachers from Teach for
America."[2]
Wouldn't it be exciting to report the same for the Prince George's County School
System?
The
novel model combines “face-to-face” education in a specific place (what used to
be called “school”) with online instruction in “hybrid” educational product. This
novel system differs from "blended learning" because the computers
are not actually “blended” with face-to-face instruction in the same classroom.[3]
In the
autumn of 2013, Milwaukee is planning to establish K-5 charter schools would
serve up to 500 students each for a total enrollment of 4,000 students by 2017.
This of course will bring added pressure on its existing school system. An
unintended outcome would be to funnel motivated parents to spend the time to
find the charter schools, leaving the struggling unsupported behind in the
compromised public school system.
Prince
George's County needs to explore creative changes for the future good of the public
school system while at the same time supporting its mission of excellence.
[1] Lyndsey
Layton. 2012. Is a charter school chain called Rocketship ready to soar across
America? © 1996-2012 The Washington Post. [accessed July 30, 2012] http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/is-a-charter-school-chain-called-rocketship-ready-to-soar-across-america/2012/07/29/gJQASrShIX_story.html
[2] Erin
Richards. 2012. California-based Rocketship Education launching charter schools
in Milwaukee. © Copyright 2009- 2012, Journal Sentinel, Inc. [accessed July 30,
2012] http://www.jsonline.com/general/27227149.html
[3] Jonathan
Schorr and Deborah McGriff. 2011. Future Schools. Copyright © 2011 President
& Fellows of Harvard College. [accessed July 30, 2012] http://educationnext.org/future-schools/
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