Tuesday, December 17, 2002

To: School Committee, City Council and Chronicle
From: Curt Perry, CRLS ’03, CRLS School Committee Representative

All students should have access to good education. This year we have a unique opportunity, because of the budget impetus and the ensuing chaos, to close some schools in Cambridge.

I am a student and I don’t think closing schools will be too hard on students, but it will be hard on teachers. Students are used to going to new classes and teachers every year. Students could move in small groups that are balanced racially, economically, educationally, and by gender, with a teacher from their same school. This small group could go together with people they know to a larger new school. This is what happened at CRLS. It worked to make the small schools at the high school equal in one year. It should and could happen in one year at the elementary level.

But it will be hard on teachers. Not enough has been said about the teachers. This change will be hardest on them. Speakers at the hearings are hiding behind the students. But it is the teachers, many who have worked and built relationships in their school for decades, who will be hardest hit.

Whole schools will close. Many teachers and a few principals will not be coming back when their schools close, but the teacher’s union is willing to work with the City. We all agree good education should be available to each student in Cambridge elementary schools. Closing some schools is the first step. Then in one year we can decrease the number of schools, address the educational inequality, and help the budget issue.

Our current Superintendent should make the decision of which schools to close and how to equalize the remaining schools. She knows the schools, the data reports, and which are the best teachers and principals. Her legacy can be to leave, not only a balanced high school, but also a balanced elementary system. Lots of people will be upset when their school is closed or moved, but the Superintendent knows that and is willing to make that change. She can leave after making that hard, and politically impossible, change.

The School Committee should stay out of the decision. They and parents and teachers should not bring political pressure on this process. It is not a political decision; the goal is to bring equity and justice to all students.

This Superintendent, who knows the schools and is going to be leaving, can do it best. The Superintendent and the Principal Paula Evans did something similar at CRLS. Then when the balance is made, don’t think you can tweak that balance. Don’t insist on closing another school instead, keeping a couple of students in this school instead of that, or keeping this principal or that teacher. If the School committee or a parent tweaks that balance, the whole larger system of balanced schools will be upset.

CRLS has set a good example of what can be done. The Superintendent can do what the Principal and Superintendent did at CRLS to help students and make access to good schools more equal. CRLS has made great progress in the two years with equal small schools. Kids are not lost in a huge school. Students have a small school to watch over them, a Dean of Students to take care of urgent problems, a Dean of Program to insure good education. Students also have advisors to meet with weekly, to spot problems and work them, and counselors and psychologists to advise and assist. Students have teachers who have time to meet weekly with other teachers from their school or in their curriculum area, so the teachers have more time to communicate and plan excellent education.

CRLS students at BOTH the high end and low end have made significant improvements under the small school system. The School Data Report comparing school year ‘99/’00 and school year under small schools ‘01/’02 show:

· 27% decrease in the number of students who fail three or more classes from 225 in ‘99/’00 to 165 in ‘01/’02

· 63% decrease in attendance violation failures from 164 in ‘99/’00 to 62 in ‘01/’02.

· 10% decrease in the number of students who failed one course from 625 in ‘99/’00 to 562 in ‘01/’02

· An increase from 14% to 18% (278 in ‘99/’00 to 301 in ‘01/’02) in the number of students taking AP classes with 96% to 97% pass rate

· An increase from 69% to 76% in the number of students going to college

· 44% decrease in the Drop Out Rate from 2.5% to 1.4%

· A decrease from 18% to 15.5% in the number of suspensions both in and out of school

· 13% of students are in advanced standing in MCAS English/Language Arts

· 12% fewer students are failing MCAS English/Language Arts (from 59% passing to 71% passing).

· 8% more students are in advanced category of MCAS Mathematics

· 11% fewer students are in the failing category (from 49% passing to 60% passing) in MCAS Mathematics.

This is not enough progress. But it is a great start. I know from my Statistics course I am taking this fall at Harvard Extension, these improvements are statistically significant.

So let us let the Superintendent do her job: close schools, move schools, increase the access for all of our elementary students to the great education that can be found in Cambridge. I know; I am the product of that education. Let the School Committee, the teachers, and the parents stay out of the final plan. The principals have already asked the Superintendent to do this work. Let us stand behind her. Maybe more than two schools need to be closed to bring balance to all. Let her decide with a goal of balanced schools and access to good education for all. It will be painful. Some will be very angry. But in a few years, we will be thankful. And more children will have the opportunity for access to great education.

Editor's Note: Curt Perry has been accepted to Yale University starting in Fall 2003

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