This just in, as I prepare to join a march and rally in Austin with “Save Texas Schools.” Be it noted that the superintendent in Austin, a high-performing district on NAEP, is an alum of the unaccredited Broad Superintendent Academy, which allegedly teaches management skills. The board majority shifted against her 5-4 after the last election but the previous board had extended her contract at its last meeting.
The parent writes:
Dear Diane, Thank you so much for sharing our story! ~~
There are many misconceptions about our school. Some created by self-serving “we can do better” groups. MOST created and broadcast by our own School District! I wish to address Five. ~~
First, “EMHS is always failing”. When EMHS was “born” in August 2008, it was already rated Academically Unacceptable (AU). That is NOT what they promised the neighborhood. It was supposed to be a fresh start. Our students and staff have lived and worked under this AU guillotine from day one. 😦 ~~
Second, “EMHS cannot fix itself.” EMHS is no longer AU. The hard-working students and staff turned the school around. Within two years, grades, test scores and graduation rates were WAY UP. And drop-out and discipline reports were way down. ~~ Their reward? Their beloved and successful Principal was replaced. And (10/20/2011) two months into the new school year the district Superintendent announced that IDEA Charter would take over their school in a year!!! ~~
Three, “The Community does not care.” Many emotionally exhausted, heart-broken students and staff left the school. Many more stayed and FOUGHT BACK. Eventually, thousands across Austin wrote, called, and protested FOR the school. As Diane said, it took an election and 14 months to cancel the IDEA plan. Now the Super is telling another story to scare us all. ~~
Four, “The TEA Commissioner will close EMHS”. But, why would he? EMHS is AA! And scores are way up. ~~ And, there is a lot going on right now in Texas education (testing, funding, etc.). He is busy. Why would he bother messing with our school??? Because the pissed off / embarrassed Super went charging over there to tell him that the new Board had messed up and EMHS was now out of compliance! ~~
Finally, Five: “Nothing at EMHS has worked./ We have tried everything.” Nearing 5 years of existence, EMHS has been subjected to 4 MAJOR restructurings by the District. IDEA is number 5. When I think of how wonderful our little campus family is and how well they are performing. I think about how glorious they might already have become. If not for the constant churning actions of their heartless (stupid?) District. ~~
Despite the District’s constant reminders to the world that EMHS is garbage. Our campus family is one of the most loving, compassionate, hard-working, and determined groups that I have ever had the honor of being a part of. ~~
Please pray for us. Thank you.
Signed: Toni Rayner, EMHS mom x2.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Kudos to you! We need more parents like you all over America.
Admittedly, I don’t know too much about what is going on in Austin. However, it sounds like it’s just more of the same. In the sense that all the higher ups want is a quick fix. The districts, the counties, the states, the feds aren’t giving the proper time to let schools actually find a GOOD fix for things that aren’t working.
Keep on speaking out though. The more voices, the louder the sound.
They have been trying to fix the problem for 7 years. The situation highlights what is wrong with public education.
Sounds like the messes at Crenshaw and Roosevelt High Schools in LAUSD. Just keep making major messes and blame it on everyone but those responsible. This is typical today. How can teachers teach when the principals and staff change everytime you turn around? Or there are no books and supplies or stable support of any kind. What if that school also receives from middle school or 8th grade students who are at the 2-4th grade levels? Are they to be held accountable? In the business world those students would be caught at incoming inspection and be returned to the manufacturer immediately. Public schools cannot do that only charter schools either before or after they come to their school. After all, we are talking about human beings, aren’t we?
George, how about holding the superintendent of schools accountable?
Are the superintendents ever held accountable?
From watching the school board meeting today, this school should close. It has been 7 years of trying to fix the problem. One has to ask what is wrong with our public school system that this type of situation continues to occur time after time in city after city. What are true solutions? Not sure more money is the answer since Title I schools get extra funds. Maybe the problem is the way the money is spent. Wonder if the kids or teachers could solve if asked. Could admin be part of the problem. Have to shake your head and wonder why. Are there any examples of success?
Cindy Hatton (Frustrated Parent), there was no school board meeting in Austin today. Why do you want Eastside Memorial High School to close? You are not a parent there. I met students and parents and they are fighting to protect their school. They love their school. Leave it alone.
You should get your facts straight. While you were at the Rally, AISD was holding a Saturday Board meeting which ran two hours over the posted time and ended at 6 pm. Since you feel the need to make my name public, I will be happy to make it public on my account. I am just a parent who is very disheartened by what I have seen going on in public education at my local school which is rated exemplary. I am one of the few if any parents who actually attend school board meetings or watch them online. I also volunteer at school and on district committee. So I see what is going on in public ed on the front line and so in some ways and areas are more informed than you. Public ed is a disaster as well as charter schools. So far I don’t really see anyone coming up with real solutions to the problems with education in America.
Part of the reason I started following your blog was becuase I enjoyed reading your book The Death and Life of the Great American School System and developed a certain level of respect for your experience. With regards to your blog, I have been a disappointed to find such demonization of charter schools while over looking the problems in public eucation as if they don’t exist. So as not to put myself into a silo, I seek out the other side or opinion so have continued to follow your blog.
After reading your bio I noticed your own chilren attended private schools and two of your grandchildren attended religious schools with another attending public school. Isn’t it somewhat hypocritical to criticize charters and extol the virtues of public ed when you have never experienced public ed first hand as a parent?
I have experienced public ed first hand as a student and now as a parent. Based off what I have personally experienced in public education as a student and now as a parent, public ed isn’t working. I only wish that I had the resources you were fortunate to have so that I could send my children to a private or religious school. So in the mean time I am left to feel helpless and that I have no choice. I made sacrifices to do what I thought was the right thing by buying a house in a good area with highly rated public schools only to find the good schools are also failing our kids. So not only do I pay my school taxes, I also am paying for tutors to teach my children the basics they aren’t getting in public school. Many parents in my area send their children to Kumon or Sylvan as a given for the basic, not enrichment. God help the children whose parents can’t afford tutors or can’t spend the extra time needed to make up for basics not being taught well in school because they have to work.
The current system has caused the public schools to lower the bar for all students, not raise it. But why? They had a choice, but have made the wrong ones. It’s time to discuss and look for real solutions to raise the bar for all children.
I believe in the importance of public education for the sake of the common good. If anyone wants to send their children to a private or religious school, they can do so at their own expense. If they want to homeschool, that’s their right. Private money for private schools, public money for public schools. There are certain things in our ociety that are the obligation of government: police, firefighting, highways, air safety, public beaches, parks, etc. You are free to hire extra security or to construct a park on your property or to have private fire protection, but don’t ask the government to pay for your private choices. And don’t destroy what the public provides to the majority of people so you can have your private choices subsidized.
As you know from my book, I was never hostile to charter schools, but it is undeniable that as the numbers of these unregulated schools grows, so also does the startling level of malfeasance, corruption, and incompetence. As well as the practice of skimming the best students and excluding those likely to pull down scores. This is the basic logic of the business model.
And by the way, it really is inappropriate for you to declare that Eastside Memorial High School hound be closed, pretending to be a parent there, when you don’t live in Austin and know nothing about the school.
I do live in Austin and had have followed what has been happening at Johnston for years. My brother in law graduated from there.
The discussion was about a school you don’t know, about students and teachers you have never met. They want to save their school. Why don’t you help them?
There is a system in place that is suppose to help them. The system is public ed and it is broken. Doing what they have been doing over the last 7 years hasn’t worked. Why??? I have no clue but to suspect the adults in charge haven’t been able to figure it out and aren’t being held accountable.
I truly believe people will rise to the bar that is set. That poor families want their kids to get a good education. Maybe AISD needs to try what has been successful at Graham Elementary in East Austin which is high SES but doing well because the principal is doing what it takes to get the job done, not what AISD admin told them to do.
I learned from yesterdays AISD Board meeting that Sylvan Learning is on the EMHS campus. They should be in the elementary schools in that feeder pattern if they aren’t. Elementary school is the foundation for all future learning so it must be strong. They should have smaller classes and more counselors at their elementary schools. I wonder if those in charge have tried this. Since I am not in charge and am not qualied to be in charge, I see no way to help. It needs to be about finding solutions that actually work because so far none have. So how much longer do they continue to pour money into something that is not working? I love the idea of neighborhood schools but hate what I see in the current system of public education. They need to do better.
Public schools are not broken. Both of my children attended and I know they are great. I’ve worked in two charters and they are nothing but a way for people to steal public taxpayer dollars. The two schools were a pot of gold for the CEOs. This is shameful and should be stopped. No one should be fighting for the existence of schools of this nature. They are doing nothing to improve education in this country. They are created to make money.I never had a desire to send my children to a private school because I believe in public ed and I’ve noticed that the private schools underpay teachers and provide inferior benefits. Why do you not put enough responsibility on parents?
Obviously your experience with public and charter schools are different than mine. My kids are in an exemplary public school where there are many 4th and 5th graders who count on fingers for math facts, kids in middle school use calculators as crutch instead of tool. I don’t blame teachers but the system of public ed. Seems to be a top down approach that isnt working. State legislature also part of problem. What do they know about public ed? Many don’t even have children currently in the system. In Texas, an exemplary rating means 90% of kids passed the test. But how many passed by only one? A truer rating would be how many kids are rated commendable on state test. Some schools have 86% commended while another might only have 5% who are commended. If I had the money I would take my kids out of public schools
What do you feel should be the responsibility of the parents? From my own experience and in reading education blogs and articles, it appears the current system isn’t doing a good job of teaching and reinforcing basics such as writing and math facts in elementary schools. It seems more is now expected of parents in helping to teach basics because they don’t have time at school. At first I thought it was just me until I started seeing posts about it from other parents. Diane even wrote in one of her books about parents being upset in one district about the need to hire tutors for basics. I see the same in my school and wonder why. One local tutoring company shared they are seeing an increased need for remediation on basics at the elementary and middle school level. Why?
Read my next book. It will be out in September. Meanwhile, be a good patent to your children and a good citizen on behalf of others.
I would have attended too, but I was a judge for
the elementary school regional science fair.
I cannot tell you how impressed I was with those kids with
their knowledge. I met one excellent teacher in Pre-K
that educated me. I thank her.
RE comments by Toni Rayner, EMHS mom x2
Love to talk with you too. Want to understand your views.
EMHS is a teacher problem, a school district problem, a family problem of the
students, a NCLB problem, a RTTT problem or what?
Do you have views.
Ed Bradford
Pflugerville, TX
[NCLB = No Child Left Behind]
[RTTT = Race To The Top]
I marched with several dozen students from Eastside Memorial High School today. They are not a problem. The problem is the district leadership, which is incapable of managing the schools in one of the nation’s highest performing urban districts. Accountability starts at the top.
What specifically about the leadership is problematic? Are there too many administrators and too few teachers? Is it the student/teacher ratio? Classroom discipline policies? Instructional content? Just saying the problem is “district leadership” gives me no information.
I’m retired, volunteer in an at-risk 8th grade math class and see problems that never happened when I went to school. I fail to see
why teachers are to blame or even administrators, but I am youthful (in my knowledge of the education profession). Every single teacher I have watched was very good or excellent. All are keepers.