Comments on: Beware of false prophets… (i.e. “Special Master” Adamowski’s Plan for New London)

By: EdLeadershipcrisis

EdLeadershipcrisis — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:52:00 +0000

Further clarification – 15% applies to non-minority, not minority, in New London’s case. Either way, minority means that a student is categorized on the state student information system as being either Hispanic, Black, Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or native American. Those who don’t have any of those are considered “white” or non-minority.
Exceptions are made in the politcal arena of the legislature where popularity trumps sound policy, and creates inequities statewide. Now look at the rules all of the other 70+ magnet schools need to comply with (25%), versus New London (15%).

By: jonpelto

jonpelto — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 03:07:00 +0000

Thank you for that clarification. I’ll update the original blog post now.

By: Apartheid First

Apartheid First — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 20:42:00 +0000

I am confused about what 15% “minority” means. I will look around, but why are there all these exceptions and special cases?

By: EdLeadershipcrisis

EdLeadershipcrisis — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:11:00 +0000

New London has special legislation to give it a magnet district status that requires 15% minority. This sets it apart from what other individual magnet schools need to conform to. But this entitles him only to the out-of town student subsidy. To get the matching local student subsidy for magnets, he’d need to reach the 25%.

By: msavage

msavage — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 03:15:00 +0000

Talk, talk, talk–and more talk. You guys just keep talking. In the meantime, Malloy, Pryor, Adamowski, Vallas–they keep raking in the bucks and pulling our public education system deeper into the mire. When is it time to stop talking and start DOING?

By: Querculus

Querculus — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 02:31:00 +0000

I’m going to be devil’s advocate here again, though. Interdistrict Magnet Schools are not a bad thing, per se. No need to bash them. They’re a good idea and can be successful, though some are great and some are “meh,” IME. —- I think Jon’s point is maybe more that the demographic situation in New London won’t mesh well with the law as things may be expected to pan out, and that this is more an example of a hamfisted move from outside a city causing potential problems down the line. That is more the pattern we’re seeing in Connecticut. My fear is that interdistrict magnet schools are somehow going to be flipped into charters.

By: buygoldandprosper

buygoldandprosper — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:51:00 +0000

Dan Malloy was a huge fan of magnet schools in Stamford.
While the “desirable” magnets had long waiting lists,Dan-the-Mayor got his kids in…no problem. Sad that it did not do much for his pack as they moved through the system and on to private schools for a variety of reasons.
I never figured out the magnet concept. It was all in the packaging I suppose. Kind of like calling a concentration camp a “work camp”.

By: Buygoldandprosper

Buygoldandprosper — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:24:00 +0000

Ben Dover Jackson Middle School? Who is the Special Master? Jerry Sandusky?
Only in Connecticut…
Still Revolting!

By: Magister

Magister — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:22:00 +0000

Windham to New London is a heck of a commute for school kids and their parents. Time to work on the bus schedules some more…

By: Apartheid First

Apartheid First — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:10:00 +0000

Argh! I had no idea that they were busing Bridgeport students to New Haven. So they are going from one “colored only” district to another “colored only” one. I guess it’s time to dust off Jim Crow for the new era.
I really had no idea this was happening, so thanks for the heads up. I know that Windham students have been going to Hartford interdistrict magnet schools, and to magnet that is really more of a charter. The whole thing is ridiculous.