The real indicator of a quality school system ?

There was an amusing "My Turn" column in the Cape Cod Times last week. Although the paper didn't say it, the writer appears to be a Junior at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional HS -- and an avid volleyball player. (She refers to neighboring school districts as "opposing" schools.)  The writer asked the question, "Could the end of school choice be the savior of struggling Cape districts?". It's an interesting question, but then logic sailed off into the left field wall. 

A few points:

While accepting School Choice students is up to the local School Committee, allowing students to leave their Home District for another school system is a provision of state law -- not a local decision.

Then the math gets a little fuzzy, the writer claims it costs the sending district approximately $5,000/student, which is pretty accurate, but then says that the 175 student choosing to leave Dennis-Yarmouth costs that District "almost $2 million". I have no idea if the number of students is correct but, by my math, 175 x $5,000 = $875,000. Not a small number -- but less than half of $2 million.

The writer also points out the unfairness of D-Y paying out $1.5 million more than it receives (because outgoing students far exceed incoming students). While at the same time Chatham receives $1.1 million more from incoming students than it pays for outgoing students.

Assuming her numbers are correct, that says 2 things:

First, it indicates that the Chatham School Committee recognized they had the capacity to educate more kids and, rather than leave those seats vacant, they maximized the use of their facilities and essentially leased space to other Districts -- good move for Chatham students and taxpayers -- this revenue pays for services that otherwise would have either been eliminated or paid for with local tax revenue.

Second, it shows that enough people have a favorable impression of the Chatham Schools (and/or unfavorable impression of their own) that they are willing to drive their kids out to the elbow of the Cape to attend them.

I'm not sure what's "unfair".  Many would point out that its unfair that parents feel they can't put their kids on the local school bus and, instead, become obligated to schlep them down  to the elbow of the Cape (or some other District) each day.

School Choice is basic Free Market economics.  If the local schools don't provide the product the parent want, they are able to find another that does.  Rather than restrict access to other Districts, School systems should be seeing this as an incentive to improve programs and facilities -- to not only retain local students and reduce outgoing tuition, but also to encourage incoming student to fill otherwise empty seats and to generate local revenue.  (With the caveat that there needs to be a proper analysis to ensure that a District is not over-committing seats to outside students who are entitled to not only stay until graduation, but also to bring in siblings.)

I guess the crux of the article is this quote:

"The schools on Cape Cod are hardly different, and none are bad. They are all high quality, with athletics, academics, music, arts and more and have a lot to offer. There is no reason to want to go to one over another."

As much as I appreciate the wisdom, knowledge, and experience of a 17 year old, and at the risk of sounding like a condescending old fart, I would only ask, "Says who?".  She goes on to say:

"Many Cape Cod residents have strong beliefs on which schools are the stronger schools. Dennis-Yarmouth and Barnstable are usually on the bottom of that list. However, with Dennis-Yarmouth's recently Super Bowl champions and Barnstable's annual state champion volleyball team, ask students — the ones who have the most credible opinion of their school — what they think and maybe those opinions will be changed."

That explains it!  Forget test scores, or graduation plans -- the real indicator of a quality school system is the students' opinion of their football & volleyball teams!

OMG!

Random Thoughts from around the Punch Bowl ...

Merry Christmas!, Merry Christmas!, Merry Christmas!

Not Happy Holidays, Not Happy Winter Solstice, Not Happy Generic Winter Non-Denominational Event, Not Even Happy Festivus !

Merry F'n Christmas !

Now that I have that out of my system -- Please feel free to celebrate whatever holiday you choose -- but DO NOT prevent me from celebrating mine!  Because something is recognized by a large number of people (Dare I say a local "majority" ?) does that make it a Bad Thing?

I applaud the Town of Saugus (coincidentally, the home of the original Sandwich settlers) for having the guts (polite term) to keep delivering Santa to the the Schools on a firetruck -- political correctness be damned!!  (Of course, we could discuss why classroom instruction is being interrupted for any purpose -- but that is a separate (grinch-like) discussion.)

Other Random Thoughts looking for a home:

Wing School Reno?  Maybe I missed the updates, but are we hoping it will just go away if we ignore it?  (Hint:  That hasn't worked too well in the past!)

The Community School ?   I've been sitting quietly waiting for the New Team to begin publicly discussing a plan, but my hunch is that even the Three Wisemen would rather hang out in The Manger than sign up for Trustee Duty in a Financial Sinkhole, inhabited by Rabid Pool People. 

Teachers Contract?  Will we be able to end what appears to be the local drama club try-outs for a re-make of the movie Norma Rae which seem to be occurring with greater frequency at School Committee Meetings -- as Union Leaders DON'T negotiate in front of the camera?  (I hope nobody gets the urge to say, "They like me, they really like me!".  If so, they would be mistaken.)

The Budget?  If we start the year with $500K less in Fed grant money, AND we pay out another $500K in increased longevity & steps, AND reach settlement with the Teachers Union for some sort of COLA (retroactive to FY '11), AND fund Department Heads with Funds previously budgeted for the Assistant Superintendent (who was previously eliminated from the Budget due to a lack of funds), where does that leave us?

Snow Job?  Rumor has it that several members of the BOS have been doing a "Sun Dance" around the DPW yard in an effort to ward off snow -- and the inevitable public outrage that will occur the first time somebody's street doesn't get plowed.  On the bright side, it takes so long for Fire/EMS to respond to the far corners of East Sandwich that the street probably will be plowed by the time the red trucks arrive!  Maybe we could put a plow blade on one of the Engines stored at Station Two?

FLASH FROM THE PAST:  One cold December night a few years back, the Chairmen of the Selectmen and School Committee huddled at a Main Street kitchen table discussing the best way to improve communications between the two Boards, and to prevent future Budget "surprises".  A little further down Main Street, the Firefighters' Union was sponsoring an Open House with tractor rides, a camp  fire, Santa and inumerable happy kids and pleased parents.  As if the firefighters' gesture didn't generate enough goodwill  on its own, they were also refusing cash donations from appreciative residents that night.

Still further down Main Street,  the president of the Teacher's Union was preparing to file a grievance against the Superintendent and the School Committee because they had the sheer audacity to lease a portable computer for every teacher in the District.  Imagine the outrageousness of allowing your teachers access to the latest technology !!  (She couldn't kill the effort, but she did manage to keep the machines locked up in a closet while generating still more ill will and bad publicity.  But, in the Big Picture, I am sure it was ..... "for the children ...").

Now, with those random thoughts purged, I would like to thank those who are willing to suffer the slings and arrows of constant criticism and volunteer their time to work for the good of the Town.  While I certainly don't agree with everybody all the time, I certainly do appreciate the amount of effort most of them put into their work.  (Somebody once said that "Public Service is like wetting your pants in a dark suit --- nobody notices, but you get that warm feeling! -- but I digress.)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!   

Merry Christmas!!

Why can't we have one of those? (By Bob Guerin)

Maybe it’s just me and maybe I don’t understand math and finance and local government but is anyone else wondering how Sandwich Schools managed to hire and pay an engineering consultant and still got themselves a $35 to $40 million dollar estimate to repair or replace the Henry T. Wing School while at the same time the Sturgis Public Charter School in Hyannis applied for and received a $9.75 million state bond to build a brand new 46,000 s/f, two-story academic building? 

According to local papers, the total cost of the Sturgis building project, including a recent land acquisition on Main Street Hyannis, is expected to be less than $15 million all in. 

So, is there someone out there in blog land who can provide a little insight and information to this taxpayer as to how and why Sturgis Charter can buy land and build a brand new 46,000 s/f, two-story academic building for less than $15 million all in (with $10 million in state aid) in less than 2 years time all while Sandwich dithers and debates a $40 million fix for Wing School? 

Seriously, recalling the great Town Hall rebuild and the damn dam project, why is it that every public works project in Sandwich seems so poorly planned and managed and so ridiculously expensive?