RSSIn Greenwich, Malloy throws “heavy support behind the charter school movement”
Nov 20
Achievement First/ConnCAN, Charter Schools, Corporate Viewpoint, Education Reform, Malloy Achievement First, Charter Schools, Education Reform, Malloy 73 Comments
At last week’s ConnCAN Block Party (it took place in Greenwich – go figure), Governor Malloy “spoke about the dismal graduation rate in urban districts. He told the crowd that on average, four in 10 students never receive a diploma. ”We cannot compete as a state with the other 49 states, or the rest of the world, when we’re willing to throw away year after year after year, 40 percent of our students in the urban environment,” Malloy said.
Surrounded by charter school supporters, owners and operators, Malloy explained that Connecticut has 31 low-performing school districts that educate 41 percent of the state’s students.
Malloy’s solution, according to a story in the Stamford Advocate, is to “replicate” what the charter schools are doing when it comes to keeping high school students in school.
Do what the charter schools are doing?
Well here are the facts when it comes enrollment decline and dropping out:
New Haven’s public high schools lose 46% of their students between 9th and 12th grade
Amistad Academy, a New Haven high school run by the charter management company, Achievement First, loses 51% of their students between 9th and 12th grade.
And Elm City Prep, another New Haven high school run by Achievement First, will have its first graduating class this year. It looks like it will have lost about 53% of its students between 9th and 12th grade.
The fact that we lose half the students in Connecticut’s urban high schools is a major problem that deserves a lot more attention, but having a Governor who fails to tell the truth in his effort to pander to the charter school industry is hardly the answer.
| School | Enrollment Decline |
| New Haven | 46% |
| Amistad (charter) | 51% |
| Elm City (charter) | 53%* projected |
| Wilbur Cross High | 49% |
| Hillhouse | 49% |
| Cooperative High | 23% |
| Hill Regional Career | 28% |
You can find the full Stamford Advocate story at: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Malloy-talks-education-reform-4042155.php#ixzz2Ci3X4SuZ
