Gerron Levi's Blog

504 Organizations: Schools in Need of Improvement

Gerron Levi — Mon, 21 May 2007 22:33:58 +0000

QUESTION: Could 504 organizations across Prince George’s County transform the 84 schools designated as a “school in need of improvement??

BACKGROUND: Volunteers have already catalogued over 350 organizations — churches, businesses and others — towards the effort.

As Superintendent Deasy and the new School Board seek to expedite improvement of the Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), it occurs to me that perhaps the answer to improvement lies, in part, outside the school doors. I have drawn a circle - the radius is one mile – around each of the 84 schools designated as a “school in need of improvement” . In many cases, I have driven my car within that one-mile circle and jotted down the name and contact person of every church, business and organization within a one-mile radius of each school in need of improvement. Here are my questions: do each of the contact persons know that that particular school down the street is on the *school in need of improvement* list? Might they be willing to participate in a coordinated plan with others within that one-mile radius to help move that school out of the “school in need of improvement” status? I am envisioning a vibrant, close-knit network of homework clubs, tutors, mentors for teachers and students, help with disruptive students and with managing school suspension policy, all within one-mile of the school. Several volunteers and I are dedicating some time this summer to collecting and contacting the churches, businesses and organizations within the one-mile radius around each of the 84 schools to ask precisely these questions. And, to identifying up to 504 organizations across Prince George’s County that will say, “yes, I will participate”. Join-in by signing up as a volunteer at www.levi2006.com.

List of the 84 schools and the catalog of organizations so far: http://www.levi2006.com/blog/schools_in_need_april_07.xls

What’s Your School Discipline Story?

Gerron Levi — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:18:04 +0000

Post a Discipline Story: If you are teacher, former teacher, school bus driver, or principal please post your discipline story (anonymously or not)….

Teacher Retention

Gerron Levi — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:55:06 +0000

In 2005-2006, nearly 10% of the teachers in Prince George’s County resigned, with those responding to the exit survey citing student discipline at the # 1 reason they left (43%) and student motivation as 2nd (35%).

According to national survey by the nonpartisan opinion research group, Public Agenda, virtually all teachers , 97%, and 78% of parents said good discipline and behavior are prerequisite for a successful school.

Teachers and parents are open to a broad range of solutions, including giving principals greater authority to discipline students and limiting legal challenges to everyday disciplinary decisions. The poll found:

84% of teachers and 70% of parents strongly or somewhat support giving principals a lot more authority to handle discipline issues as they see fit.

87% of teachers and 74% of parents strongly or somewhat support proposals for establishing alternative schools for chronic offenders.

94% of teachers say finding ways to hold parents more accountable for kids’ behavior would be a very or somewhat effective solution to schools’ discipline problems.

82% of teachers and 78% of parents strongly or somewhat support limiting lawsuits to serious situations like expulsion.

82% of teachers and 69% of parents also strongly or somewhat approve of removing the possibility of monetary awards for parents who sue over discipline issues.

91% of teachers and 88% of parents strongly or somewhat support an approach of strictly enforcing little rules so the right tone is created and bigger problems are avoided.

91% of teachers say putting more emphasis on classroom management skills in teacher education programs would be a very or somewhat effective solution.

Public Agenda, Teaching Interrupted: Do Discipline Policies in Today’s Public Schools Foster the Common Good? (2004). http://www.publicagenda.org/press/press_release_detail.cfm?report_title=Teaching%20Interrupted Comments?