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Report cards on schools give more power to Detroit parents
At Excellent Schools Detroit, our goal is to ensure that every child is in an excellent school by 2020. To that end, we have committed to open 70 new schools, mostly in existing buildings, during the next 10 years. The recent announcement by Michigan Future Schools of the four new high-quality high schools is an important step forward. We pledge that you will have many more quality choices in the future. It is time, as Excellent Schools Detroit’s recent 2010 School Report Card makes crystal clear. Only three high schools, 11 middle schools and 10 elementary schools exceed the state averages in reading and math — state averages that are not particularly high. When parents look for a school for their child, the most important information about the school is whether he or she will learn enough to succeed in a career and in life. Everything else follows, because at a school where students are learning, they also are safe, supported, engaged and all the other indicators parents use when choosing schools. The new 2010 School Report Card provides the rankings of all public schools in the city and the few private schools that take state tests. Unfortunately, there are not enough good schools in every part of Detroit. Not yet. That’s why opening new schools is such a central part of our strategy, along with creating a pipeline of excellent principals to run these schools and establishing a watchdog group to publish more detailed scorecards in coming years. Some of the new schools will be part of the Detroit Public Schools system. Others will be public charter schools. All will prepare students to graduate from high school and succeed afterward — either in college or in a quality training program. When parents use the scorecards ranking schools to vote with their feet, pulling their children out of bad schools and enrolling them in good schools, they will be a powerful force for change. For example, the 2010 scorecard reports that in five elementary schools and 10 middle schools, fewer than 20% of the students meet the state’s math standards. In 18 high schools, fewer than 5% meet those standards. These aren’t just DPS schools; too many public charter schools are not doing a good enough job either. And when those schools no longer attract enough students, they will close. That’s power. This 2010 report is an important first step for us in helping parents become more informed school shoppers. Parents can expect more assistance from our coalition this year. The Detroit Parent Network is planning additional Get on the Bus field trips to successful schools. We’re also developing video profiles of some of the city’s better schools. And this winter, in time for next year’s enrollment period, we’ll be organizing school fairs featuring the leading schools. By knowing the score and demanding the best for their children, Detroit’s parents can be a vital force for change. They already are. • CAROL GOSS IS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SKILLMAN FOUNDATION. SHARLONDA BUCKMAN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DETROIT PARENT NETWORK. EXCELLENT SCHOOLS DETROIT IS A COALITION OF DETROIT’S EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITY, PARENT AND FOUNDATION LEADERS.
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