- Egg: District 281 has failed to provide adequate programs, performance, results, stability, etc. Therefore middle and upper middle class families and students are fleeing their community schools by moving, open enrolling, intradistrict transfers, private schools, charter schools, home schooling, etc.
- Chicken: Middle and upper middle class families and students are fleeing their community schools for many good and poor reasons, leaving the community schools with a higher percentage of children that are harder and more expensive to instruct. Therefore the district has less funding to provide adequate programs, performance, results, stability, etc for the rest of the students.
A point to remember when considering this puzzle. For the previous period of economic growth, many young middle and upper middle class families were thinking of that "dream home". There are few new home developments in the RAS borders, therefore many families moved to greener developments... With this in mind, who in our modern time wanted to move into a small old ranch home with a one car or detached garage?
Also, it seems most folks think diversity is good, unless that diversity could maybe possibly cause some disruption in their child's classroom, development, school, etc.
Finally, has RAS and the local communities kept their heads buried in the sand as the diversity and poverty rate kept increasing? I don't know, however this was, is and will be a huge challenge that needs to be faced.... Probably through the schools, community programs and housing redevelopment.
Being one of those middle to upper middle income households, I can quite honestly say that the dream house and referendum woes almost had us moving several times. However I kept wondering what the "fighting for your community" meant with regard to the choice??? Still here and pondering... Thoughts welcome !!!
6 comments:
Now come on.... Someone must have an opinion whether the chicken or egg came first....Or more importantly, how to stop the flight cycle???
Another related question: We know for a fact that the percentage of free and reduced lunch students is growing consistently year after year. Does this mean the number of F&RL students is increasing or is the number of well off students just decreasing much faster than the overall student population? (ie flight...)
OK, I'll bite. And I'll go with egg. R-dale proper and the majority of the district has similar issues to most first ring suburbs--aging housing stock and aging population. But some cities have maintained an exceptional school district despite or perhaps because of it. Not everyone wants to be in Otsego or Woodbury--plenty of us enjoy the almost-city atmosphere and short commute and genuinely value diversity for our kids, and I prefer my house over a cookie cutter 5 bedroom. BUT, I value the quality of my children's education even more. I still think it's good, but continue to cut the programs that will give our kids a leg up on college, and keep them engaged in learning, and help them reach their personal potential--and you'll see families like mine flee. Not to Wayzata, though--more likely to SLP district, for instance, where referenda pass with huge margins and choice programs, language, gifted, special ed, and culture are still strong. Or Hopkins, where even with their financial troubles they've maintained a great district/system.
Race to the middle on funding and standards, and you'll get exactly what you expect.
Have we crossed a threshold they have not?
Hopkins Demographics
St Louis Park Demographics
Robbinsdale Demographics
According to the student demographics, SLP really isn't like RAS. At least not yet. I don't believe the SLP community is inherently more committed to education than the Robbinsdale area. If/when their student demographics start to become like ours then they will have the same issues we have here. And passing a referendum won't be a slam dunk for them anymore.
Those are interesting statistics, John. 281 has significantly higher levels of poverty, minorities, and ELL. I have a theory that when the level of poverty rises above 50%, it becomes very hard to get those kids caught back up. When there are a few behind in the class, interventions can be implemented. When it's the majority of kids who are behind, the teacher ends up teaching to where the kids are, instead of to where they should be.
The other statistic that really stuck out to me: Hopkins and St. Louis Park open enroll students out and in at the same levels. 281 has always claimed the same, but according to those numbers, it loses 1000 more students than it gains. A 1000 students lost is significant.
So why are they leaving? For me, it was the "egg" scenario. I purchased a house, expecting to send my kids to Robbinsdale Schools. After experiencing the district, I found myself disagreeing with the board and administration and scratching my head at their priorities. My son's experience, while great in some areas, was lacking in others. When things did not live up to my expectations, I looked at other options.
Sorry I'm late to this party!
I vote mostly "Chicken" - like chicken salad with eggs in the mayonnaise. As a metro expands, the cheap undeveloped land at the perimeter always draws the younger families who assume that the farther the schools are from tall buildings, the better.
The problem with districts like 279 and 281 and 11 is that they are "radial" from Mpls. We have dense, old neighborhoods like Robbinsdale and Brooklyn Center inside, newer, expansive areas in Plymouth and west Golden Valley at the other. One size doesn't please all but that's what the schools try to do.
Actually there are problems East and West. Neither wants the "old" formulas.
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