Trump Announces Next Secretary of Education, Guess What, She is Not an Educator!

The next Secretary of Education has been named and again it is not an educator. Why does our Presidents and state leaders think it is ok to appoint someone as Secretary of Education who has never taught? Our Surgeon General is a doctor, the US Attorney General is a lawyer – so why is the Secretary of Education, one of the most important jobs, not required to be an educator? Every four or eight years a new federal education plan is introduced and the students are the experiment. We have no stability when it comes to our educational system here in the US. Things will never change when we keep appointing the wrong people. Things will never change when we have billionaires who do not normally send their children to public schools and who are making decisions about how to best serve our kids.

Click here to read Betsy DeVos Bio.

Let’s be consistent with funding exclusions – but how about not excluding kids in the process!

I read a Delaware Online opinion piece this morning and I wanted to comment. I do believe the funding exclusions should be consistent throughout the state. It is my understanding that the Department of Education approved the exclusions every year. That being said, charters are public schools and they need to open their doors and accept all students just like our school districts do. The charters should not be able to kick their accepted students out of their schools because of grades, attendance or behavior – they should keep those students and provide resources to the students just like our school districts do. Charters want flexibility, the flexibility should not come at the expense of our children. There are Delaware charters that open their schools up to all students, anyone who wants to apply can apply and they will add them to their lottery. Then there are other charter schools that shut their doors, hang a sign “experience needed” – this needs to stop.

We need to stop putting up barriers and work together for “ALL” of our children.

Rep. Kim Williams – 19th District – Delaware

 

 

 

 

Newark Charter School will only accept five year olds into their kindergarten program

Over the weekend, Rep. John Kowalko emailed me concerning a family whose choice application was pulled from the lottery because their daughter did not turn five during a specific time frame. They were told that they would not be allowed to apply to kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year. Newark Charter School’s board recently voted to change their admission’s policy pertaining to students who apply to Newark Charter School for kindergarten. Prior to the board’s vote, children had to be five years old at the time of admission. Below is Newark Charter School’s new policy:

All Kindergarten applicants must turn five years of age in the period from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016 to apply for KN in the 2016-2017 lottery

I am not sure what Newark Charter School’s reasoning is for changing their policy. There are many reasons why a family may decide to hold their child back a year from starting kindergarten. Many children have late summer birthdays, a disability, or some children just need that additional year.

This family’s child has a physical disability which impacts her fine motor skills and limits the use of her hands and arms. During a parent/teacher conference last spring, the pre-school recommended that the child be retained for an additional year. The family reached out to their feeder school and the feeder school had no objection.

The family reached out to Newark Charter School and it is my understanding the Board of Directors and the Department of Education stated that Newark Charter School followed all proper procedures.

Over the weekend, I wrote to Secretary Godowsky about this family and my concerns over Newark Charter School’s new policy only allowing students who turn five to be entered into the lottery.  I asked Secretary Godowsky if Newark Charter School’s new admission’s policy had been approved by their authorizer?  I did some researching of Title 14 and found some language that I thought would be helpful to the family –Title 14 – Chapter 27 allowed a family to delay kindergarten one year if the child had been evaulated.

Title 14 – Chapter 27 – School Attendance allows for a family to request a one year delay if the child has been evaluated. The family had their child evaluated the year before, so I assumed this part of the code would apply to them. I pointed this out to all parties involved.

The child was entered into last night’s lottery, she is on the waiting list. I am not sure who made the decision to add her name to the lottery and I am not sure why they made the decision — I am just glad the student was entered.  I still have an issue about Newark Charter School’s current policy. Why was the change made? Is it legal? If it is legal, is Newark Charter School obligated to point out the section of Delaware Code to applicants that there is an exception to their policy? I am still trying to get my questions answered.

ATTENDING A PUBLIC SCHOOL SHOULD NOT BE THIS DIFFICULT. If the family did not reach out to Rep. Kowalko, their child would have not been entered into the lottery.

(c) The following provisions shall be applicable to the administration of subsection (a) of this section in regard to compulsory attendance in the kindergarten for a child age 5 years:

 (1) If a child is a resident of the State at the time of that child’s eligibility for admission to the kindergarten at age 5, the parents, guardian or legal custodian of that child may request that school authorities evaluate the child’s readiness for attendance and may request a delay of 1 year in that attendance. However, admission to first grade will be authorized only after schoolauthorities evaluate the child’s readiness for attendance.

 

Enrollment Preferences Task Force Final Report

After two years, the Enrollment Preferences Task Force final report was released. It has been a journey that started with the passing of House Bill 90 during the 147th General Assembly.  The report does not include specific recommendations; it does summarize the opinions of the Task Force on an extensive list of questions and topics that are currently considered in the enrollment processes for charter, magnet and votech schools. Many of the items that are asked or requested of our families are really not necessary and actually create barriers. Some of the items that are requested have already been asked during the registration process when the families first register at their feeder school. We have a chance to really make significant changes to the way Delaware admits students through choice.

View this document on Scribd

School Choice is not an Option for Some Kids Because of Enrollment Preferences

Students typically attend their assigned feeder school unless a parent choices their child into another school. School choice is an option that many families in New Castle County use. A member of the community had concerns about the preferences being used by First State Montessori School. This school is located in the city of Wilmington and one of the preferences is a 5 mile radius. The issue with this preference, it is last on the preferences being used which means children who live within the 5 mile radius may not get into this school before other children who may live outside the 5 mile radius. In the Montessori charter application it states: “To achieve a vibrantly diverse and active community of staff, students, families, and friends of the school.” Why is the five mile radius preference last if this is their goal?

Below are First State Montessori Academy admission preferences.

1. Children of FSMA founders (up to 5% of the school’s population)
2. Children of staff employed 20 hours or more a week by FSMA
3. Siblings of children currently enrolled at FMSA this school year (2014-2015)
4. Applicants who have demonstrated an interest in the Montessori teaching philosophy
5. Children whose primary residence is within a 5-mile radius of FSMA on the date of the lottery.

Preference #4 could be a roadblock for families living in the city who would like to send their children to this school but cannot because their child did not previously attend a Montessori school or a Montessori camp. Private Montessori schools charge tuition and how many private Montessori schools are currently located in the city? Other options for showing an interest at this school: the family could participate in a teleconference with FSMA administrators or board member and discuss the educational philosophy, attend a session, tour or educational program sponsored by FMSA or submit a 100 word essay on FSMA’s teaching philosophy. Again, these are ways for a school to pick the students who seem to have a better fit and to deny access to others.

For more information about FSMA, click here.

First State Montessori Academy Changed Their Admission Preferences, Do They Need to Modify Their Charter First?

First State Montessori Academy preferences allows for employees of the school who work 20 hours or more have a preference to attend the school. In their original charter application on Page 28, it states that children of permanent employees must work 30 hours per week or more to receive a preference. Can they change this preference on their own without modifying their charter? I have asked DOE this question.  Below are FSMA admission preferences, this was taken from their website.

Admissions preferences are also a consideration at FSMA. In cases where the number of applicants exceeds the number of seats available, admission preferences will be applied prior to administering the lottery. These preferences include (in order of importance):

1. Children of FSMA founders (up to 5% of the school’s population)
2. Children of staff employed 20 hours or more a week by FSMA
3. Siblings of children currently enrolled at FMSA this school year (2014-2015)
4. Applicants who have demonstrated an interest in the Montessori teaching philosophy
5. Children whose primary residence is within a 5-mile radius of FSMA on the date of the lottery.

Red Clay Choice Information Nights

The Red Clay Choice Office is holding District Choice Information Nights:

• Tuesday, October 20th at Dickinson High School at 6:00 pm
• Tuesday, October 27th at AI Middle School starting at 6:00 pm

This is a great opportunity to learn more about what School Choice is, how the application process works and to meet representatives from all of our Red Clay schools.

Wilmington Education Improvement Commission – Funding Student Success Committee Met Yesterday

Wilmington Education Commission Improvement website

Yesterday, I attended the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission – Funding Student Success at William Penn High School – 2:00 to 4:00. Mike Jackson (Deputy Controller General) and Jill Floore (Red Clay School District Chief Financial Officer) are the co-chairs of the committee, they went over the discussion/possible proposed action items.

Mike Jackson and Jill Floore  are financial folks and I am grateful that they are co-chairing this committee. I am concerned about the timeline to have a plan in place by the end of October, which is only 6 weeks away, but I will wait and see what happens at the next few meetings. The quick timeline is due to the timing of when the final report must be presented to the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission and the State Board of Education. I just want to point out that many of the members of this committee have backgrounds in school finances.

Discussion Items/Possible Proposed Action Items:

• Funding Low Income Students (House Bill 117)
• Funding Kindergarten – 3rd grade Basic Special Education (House Bill 30)
  • I asked if funding for English Language Learners could/would be added to the prosed action items?
• Weighted Student Funding
• Multiple Enrollment Unit Counts
• Property Reassessment
• Tax Rates
• Funding – shifting population between districts
• Staffing impact on each district
• Facilities needs assessment (example new middle or high school, condition of existing building, etc.)
• City of Wilmington – Office of Education and Public Policy
• Early Childhood Learning
  • Meeting the Needs of Students in Poverty Committee will look at this as well.
  • Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant – the grant is done, how are we going to fund early learning?
• College Access
• IRMC – Interagency Resource Management Committee
  • The next meeting of the IRMC is December 2, 2015.
  • IRMC’s Mission – Promote the development of a comprehensive and coordinated early childhood system, birth to eight, which provides the highest quality services and environment for Delaware’s children and their families.
• Look at equity in choice.
  • I would suggest looking at transportation as well.

The next Student Funding Success meeting will be September 22nd 3:00 to 5:00 at Baltz Elementary School.