In continuation of the complex issues that the RUSD board and administration faces, I will examine the possible ramifications of increased busing - based on the Equity and Access Committees’ recommendation of using both race and socio-economic factors. (As a reminder, the RUSD board will be meeting Thursday evening at 6:00 pm to discuss this and other equity and access issues.)
Increased busing:
1. Promotes diversity.
Diversity should be valued in the classroom. Exposing young minds to other cultures and ideas can only benefit the education “experience”. With that said, is it the role of government to force diversity? Wouldn’t it be easier to gently “nudge” diversity by increasing the number of choice schools? Does an inner-city child only excel when sitting next to a suburban one? Or vice versa?
2. Costs money.
The district, according to the latest figures on the DPI, spends approximately $9.3 million a year on transportation costs. KUSD, our neighbor to the south, spends approximately $5.4 million a year. Each of the school districts have approximately the same number of children, so RUSD spends more than 72% more than Kenosha for transportation. (Kenosha currently does not bus for the purpose of integration, they have neighborhood schools. )Wouldn’t those extra millions be better spent in the classroom? Of course, one cannot really put a price tag on something intangible as diversity. This may be one of the hugest factors in making the tough decisions, as our district is continually strapped for cash.
3. Will alienate/disengage parents.
This is a huge talking point. Many advocates of neighborhood schools claim the reason for low achievement is that the parents of bussed children do not attend school functions, parent-teacher conferences, etc. While this may be true in some circumstances, I find that this is perhaps the most subjective and weak reasoning for neighborhood schools. I would venture a guess that many parents whose children currently attend a school in their neighborhood are not “engaged” and many parents whose children are bussed across town are extremely engaged in their children’s education.
The RUSD board needs to make a decision on what this district will look like, and soon. It will not be an easy task, and some population demographics will be definitely not be happy – but the board needs to weighs the pros and cons of each of the 3 proposed scenarios and make the best fit for the most number of people.
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4 comments:
Brenda, I somewhat disagree with your last comment. How can you go on and praise Julian Thomas's success and turn around and say that parental involvement in a neighborhood school is a weak argument? In my opinion this district should be making more of an effort to get parents involved and that means providing an opportunity/ability to do so. I also think that at the elementary school level that the schools(having returned to neighborhood schools) would be racially unbalanced. However, at the middle and high school levels the schools will be fully integrated. So, for that short time in a child's life what is so wrong with going to school with neighborhood friends and being close to home?
Your are right, my comments are a bit misleading. But remember, Julian Thomas is really not a "neighborhood" school. It lost that designation even before it opened. Julian Thomas is a "choice" (not magnet) school that draws 49% of its population from across the district.
Like the magnet schools, the parents that "choose" to send their children to Julian Thomas did so because they perceived Julian Thomas as being special or something better.
When parents are engaged, children do better just as you suggest.
You are right about Julian Thomas and its "neighborhood" status. However, my point is still that that school is what it is because of its extra resources, and the time and talents of staff, parents and volunteers.
Now, here's a question for you..."If Julian Thomas would have remained a neighborhood school as it was voted to be in a referendum, and was still successful, do you think that the topic of neighborhood schools would still be such a hot button issue for Racine?"
Absolutely, if Julian Thomas had remained a completely "neighborhood" school, we would not even be having this discussion.
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