Who Rules the Schools ?

The Constitution of the United States makes no mention or reference to the education of America’s children. It is a surprising fact. However the Tenth Amendment does state that any issues that are not covered by the Constitution become the purview of the individual states (states rights). Thus there are 50 state departments of education, 50 sets of requirements for teacher certifications and 50 sets (at least) of state approved curricula. The debate about Common Core has run head on to the last statement.  In looking at the nomination of Betsy DeVos as the new US Secretary of Education, it seems clear that the federal government does want to get more involved with the education of America’s children. This nomination seems even more puzzling when you consider the fact that the President-elect will be looking for a US Supreme Court Justice to succeed the late Antonin Scalia. Scalia was a “Strict Constructionist” and believed in a literal interpretation of the Constitution rather than viewing the Constitution as a living document that needs to change with the times. Can we have it both ways? I don’t think so. If we want less federal government intrusion in our lives (and the lives of our school age children), then we need to commit to the right of the individual states to determine the direction of their public schools. That means working together with parents, teachers and community leaders to develop the best strategies that will ensure our children’s success in school.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year

C.2016 J. Margolis

Finish High School, Get a College Degree Simultaneously!

Many like to get something on sale. IN the supermarket they look for buy one, get one free (BOGO). Would you be surprised to learn that such a bargain can be had in an educational institution? Just take a look at Florida Atlantic University High School in Boca Raton Florida. According to school administrators, they believe that this is the only high school in the United States where a student can obtain both a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree at the same time. This means that the 130 or so graduates leave school with a BA degree at age 19! The competition for admission to this program in intense. The school receives approximatrely700 applications each year and accepts about 140.Most of the cost of this unique program is borne by the state of Florida, while the students must pay a $500 university activity fee per year.

This dual program is not for every student. Parents and students are advised that there is quite a bit of research and work required in this program. However, many of the students are still able to participate in extra-curricular activities, even sports.

According to school officials, the student population is a diverse one and about 30% receive free or reduced lunch.

In the ninth grade, first year at school, students are basically in a high school setting, but beginning in the tenth grade, most of the students study at the university- Florida Atlantic University, often attending classes with students much older than they are. Many of the students are so successful that Florida Atlantic University Medical School reserves five seats in its incoming class for students from the FAU High School program. (Note- the high school does not have a football program).

For those readers who are currently involved in charter or magnet school programs, this is an option worth investigating.

c.2016 J. Margolis

NewsFlash! DisneyWorld more Important than School.

I just returned from a three-day visit to Orlando that included trips to three of the four Disney theme parks plus the shopping district- Disney Springs, and I was shocked by what I saw. Hundreds (maybe more) of school age children at the parks with family or friends, on school days. Now I tried to rationalize this phenomenon. My first day at Disney was a Sunday and I get that. Families’ being together enjoying all that Disney has to offer. But what about Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday? Here it is two weeks BEFORE Christmas, so schools are not yet out for the holiday vacation.

I can discount all of the foreign visitors who vacations schedules may be different than those here in the US. Then there are the homeschooled children. According to the US Census, 3.4% of America’s children are home schooled. I don’t think that all of them were at the Magic Kingdom on Monday. Something else must be at work here.

I understand that some parents do not have control of when they take vacations. So some may just decide to take their children out of school to meet their own schedules. I wonder if the families made arrangements for the children to make up missed work? That is not to say that a trip to Disney World cannot be an educational experience- especially a place like EPCOT.

I must confess, that I have lectured about Disney’s impact on American culture. So there are beneficial experiences that children can have at the theme parks. I also have been reminded that it is important for families to be together, yet, while dining at one of the restaurants, I noticed a family of five at the next table each busily working their cell phones and paying no attention to each other.

While strolling through Disney Springs, I observed a line of little girls at the “ Bibbity Bobbedy Boutique,” getting coiffed and made up as princesses at an exorbitant cost. I wonder what educational value this experience has over being in a classroom with a professional educator developing skills and knowledge that will be necessary in the future.

 And one other thing, I  must have been in at least six gift shops and did not find one book for sale. I found this strange as Disney is the country's largest publisher of children's books.

Am I being curmudgeonly or am I on to something? My wife said to “Let it Go.” I am not so sure.

c.2016 J. Margoils

The Importance of Kindergarten

A recent report in the Fall/ Winter 2016 issue of the Johns Hopkins Health Review (pp.42-43) focused on the critical importance of success in kindergarten. Professor Deborah Gross and her team from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing completed a study of children entering kindergarten in Baltimore City Public Schools. The research concluded that children who enter kindergarten who were behind in social- behavioral development were “ more likely to be held back, suspended or expelled in the future.” Dr. Gross’ researchers followed 9000 students in Baltimore elementary schools and highlighted the importance of students being socially and behaviorally ready for school. One of the other researchers observed that this seems to be a larger issue for boys and that poverty or some traumatic event could effect a student’s ability to “ manage emotions, focus attention, and process information.”

What is the takeaway from this study?  For one thing parents need to be educated and coached in an effort to get their children ready for school, and all that goes with being a successful student. The other obvious conclusion has to do with pre-school. Universal pre- school should be available to all children with a program in both academic and social skills to enable students to be ready for kindergarten and to be successful when they get there.

c.2016  J. Margolis

A Crossroads in American Education

Full disclosure. I am the product of a public magnet high school in Philadelphia. The School District of Philadelphia was way ahead of the curve in the 50s and 60s with a myriad of choices for students who were interested in music, science, college preparation, and, later, the fine and performing arts.

What about charter schools? Much has been said and written about the success of public charter schools in the United States, especially in inner city areas. A number of schools have demonstrated significant achievement and the areas of reading and math. These are schools that are funded with public money and organized by concerned parents in a community. Some are run by private organizations and there has been significant resistance to such programs by teachers unions.

Another education issue has to do with school choice. Can parents choose to send their children to schools out of their district ? Can public money be used to pay tuition for a student to attend a parochial or private school? A number of cases relating to these issues have ended up in court. Parenthetically, in a number of small and rural school districts in Vermont, the town pays tuition for students to attend the local private school because it is far more expedient and less expensive than to build and staff a school(s).

All of this leads us to the recent Presidential election. We really don’t know which direction the new President will choose to take. What we do know is that President- elect Trump did not send his children to public schools. Keep an eye on who gets nominated to be the new Secretary of Education and what his or her philosophy is. That may give us some insight as to what direction the new administration wishes to take. Keep this fact in mind. There is nothing written in the Constitution of the United States regarding the education of America’s children. Thus according to Article Ten, those decisions are to be left up to the states.

c.2016 J. Margolis