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We do this in Chicago. We call them "magnet" schools, as they are intended to attract the best and the brightest. On the one hand, these are the most diverse

by Donzo 12y ago

We do this in Chicago. We call them "magnet" schools, as they are intended to attract the best and the brightest. On the one hand, these are the most diverse schools in this heavily segregated city. They give students from rough neighborhoods a better chance to live a different life. On the other hand, they decrease the quality of neighborhood schools (non-magnet) by skimming the cream from the top, if you will. Now, the real problem with this system is how it deals with the intelligent but apathetic student. This student will not meet the criteria to enter one of these magnet schools, regardless of his or her test performance, and will be left in a virtual dumping ground, surrounded by few academically inclined individuals to motivate or otherwise inspire him or her. His or her teachers are likely to be burned out by the disparity of their environment. He or she may not have the right combination of toughness and grace to survive four years in this environment and is likely to become one of the roughly 50% of CPS students who drop out. Now, does this seem like an appropriate path for a bright student who was unmotivated to complete their homework in the sixth or seventh grade, perhaps due to crippling emotional stress (jailed, drug addicted, or murdered parent)? I don't have a better system, but I think that we can do better.

twoodfin 12y ago
Maybe this is far too naive, but wouldn't a smart but unmotivated kid respond to the same incentives as anyone else? Namely, can we figure out how to reward kids and their families monetarily for staying in school and excelling? The promise of some scholarship years down the line might not do it. Obviously this is tricky business for a host of reasons, but if we expect education to be a worthwhile investment, there's got to be some way to 'borrow' against those expected future gains.
jimmaswell 12y ago
I went to a "magnet" elementary school. Pretty sure there was no criteria, it was just the public elementary school of the area. There was a mix of students from the suburban areas and the more ghetto area about 30 minutes away. One kid in 2nd grade or so was found selling crack in the bathroom. It seemed to have a lot of expensive stuff and had some computer class where we just did things in certain games like making a roller coaster. Macintosh computers oddly.
- Donzo 12y ago
  That's funny. I taught at a magnet school on the west side that operated the same way. Many magnet schools do not operate as they were designed. Each magnet school was supposed to offer an original line of programming in which the school specialized. Perhaps it was like that at one time, but those days are gone. The school I taught at was supposed to teach aviation. I guess there was one guy who taught that program once, and then he retired. He was not replaced. Magnet schools give preferential enrollment of up to 40% to neighborhood students and siblings, but they can recruit selectively, unlike a neighborhood school that must accept any student that lives in the attendance boundary. The situation that I was describing in my original post was more pertaining to high schools than elementary schools. There are over 100 high schools in Chicago, but most students want to get into the same 5. If you live in a decent neighborhood, your neighborhood school may be alright, but if you live in the South or West sides, the selective enrollment high schools are pretty much your best chance to get out. Therefore, if you fuck up in the sixth or seventh grade on either homework or standardized tests, the consequences can be severe.

by Donzo 12y ago

twoodfin 12y ago

Maybe this is far too naive, but wouldn't a smart but unmotivated kid respond to the same incentives as anyone else? Namely, can we figure out how to reward kids and their families monetarily for staying in school and excelling? The promise of some scholarship years down the line might not do it. Obviously this is tricky business for a host of reasons, but if we expect education to be a worthwhile investment, there's got to be some way to 'borrow' against those expected future gains.

jimmaswell 12y ago

I went to a "magnet" elementary school. Pretty sure there was no criteria, it was just the public elementary school of the area. There was a mix of students from the suburban areas and the more ghetto area about 30 minutes away. One kid in 2nd grade or so was found selling crack in the bathroom. It seemed to have a lot of expensive stuff and had some computer class where we just did things in certain games like making a roller coaster. Macintosh computers oddly.

Donzo 12y ago
That's funny. I taught at a magnet school on the west side that operated the same way. Many magnet schools do not operate as they were designed. Each magnet school was supposed to offer an original line of programming in which the school specialized. Perhaps it was like that at one time, but those days are gone. The school I taught at was supposed to teach aviation. I guess there was one guy who taught that program once, and then he retired. He was not replaced. Magnet schools give preferential enrollment of up to 40% to neighborhood students and siblings, but they can recruit selectively, unlike a neighborhood school that must accept any student that lives in the attendance boundary. The situation that I was describing in my original post was more pertaining to high schools than elementary schools. There are over 100 high schools in Chicago, but most students want to get into the same 5. If you live in a decent neighborhood, your neighborhood school may be alright, but if you live in the South or West sides, the selective enrollment high schools are pretty much your best chance to get out. Therefore, if you fuck up in the sixth or seventh grade on either homework or standardized tests, the consequences can be severe.