A Barometer of New Rochelle Schools: Plan for Addressing Graduation Rate Crisis in Our Schools on May 4th

On May 4th, the New Rochelle School Board will present to the community a plan for action on how to deal with our school crisis of low performance when it comes to low high school graduation. As you know, our schools are failing our children of color. Their four-year graduation rates are incompatible to our claimed success or diversity so often quoted by our community leaders. When you have 2,000 children or rather 2/3’s of children expecting NOT to graduate in four years it becomes a testament to lack of vision, leadership and desire to come up with a better solution. To deny that this is a problem, which our school leaders have, is also a defining moment of who they are.
Come on May 4th and ask questions. See if they roll out the same answers as before.
We just received results of our 2009 Regents exams – check these numbers out. Do you feel good about these numbers?NY State Dept of Education Regents Test results for 2009

Albert Leonard Middle School
Living Environment 151 Students Tested – 84% received a score over 85%
Algebra 154 Students Tested – 66% received a score over 85%

Isaac Young Middle School
Living Environment 87 Students Tested – 53% received a score of over 85%
Algebra 68 Students Tested – 32% received a score of over 85%

Since both schools have the same number of students, why only 1/2 the number at IYMS took regents exams? Again, let’s discuss equity issues.

Some other scores from the High School
Algebra 895 students tested – 42% received LESS than 64%
Geometry 485 students tested – 23% received LESS than 64%
Global History 1024 students tested – 31% received LESS than 64%
US History 823 students tested – 20% received LESS than 64%
Chemistry 414 students tested – 35% received LESS than 64%
Liv Environment 776 students tested – 24% received LESS than 64%

17 students took the regents Latin. Why devote resources for this dead language?

I understand that many more passed these exams, but you begin to wonder when 20% to 42% do not pass? Get my drift?

I don’t blame teachers or students, I blame leadership for accepting these numbers year after year. I blame parents for not being good parents and looking at the success or lack of success for their kids. Some schools take on the responsibility of teaching our parents how to be good parents when it comes to educating their children. Perhaps we should learn that this is not such a bad idea instead of presenting programs that lead us to nowhere.

Our school system here is cracking, perhaps it’s broken. Parents must demand more of themselves and of our school district. Speak up! Do something! Get back to basics.