In reviewing documents backing up today's news, of concern is the number of schools that are in step 5 of the AYP plan. Sixty-eight. 68-schools across the state are facing some degree of restructuring. What is most concerning though is that 47 of those schools are in their second year of step 5.
The federal Department of Education identifies "step 5" as being the most serious level of potential consequences for those schools not showing adequate progress. Under NCLB, the feds suggest schools reaching step 5:
• Must implement restructuring; and
• Must select options from the following list:
o Replace all or most of relevant school staff;
o Contract with outside entity to operate school;
o If the state agrees, undergo a state takeover; or
o Undertake any other major restructuring of school.
But, what about schools that are in their second year of "step 5" actions? What happens to them? So far - no one is saying. "It's up to the individual school district." "We haven't been told how to handle that by the state." Its almost like watching the Scarecrow point out the best path in the Wizard of Oz.
Following the news conference, OSPI spokesman Nathan Olson told me, "The issue in our state comes down to local control. While the feds say 'you can restructure a school' - our state leaves the issue of what to do with a poor performing school up to individual districts."
So, what does that mean? More and more schools are using federal money - your tax dollars - for supplemental education rather than augmenting basic services. And, until the Department of Education, OSPI and local school districts get on the same page, students - most of them minority and low income - will continue to be "left behind."