Alternative High Schools

[chanel]

Emily Fisher opened 14 years ago and serves some of the state’s toughest-to-educate children. Almost all of the nearly 400 students are poor and about 40 percent have special education needs. Many failed in other schools: The mission statement includes reaching out to "disruptive" students. There are kids who were incarcerated, and several dozen have children of their own.

But next month, the school is expected to close. The state Department of Education this spring denied a renewal of Emily Fisher’s charter, due in large part to low test scores, citing a "culture of low expectations" and "little evidence of learning taking place." If the school closes, students will "transition" back to regular Trenton schools.

Kevin G. Welner, a professor of education at the University of Colorado Boulder and director of the National Education Policy Center, said so-called "last chance" or "alternative" schools that enroll at-risk students almost never show high test scores or even strong test score growth, "so it makes little sense to hold them accountable using that standard."

Low test scores outweigh lofty challenges as Trenton charter school faces closure | NJ.com

This article paints a rosy picture of a school that is most likely out of control. However...

There is NO expulsion in the State of NJ. These troublemakers are sent to costly, alternative programs simply to protect the other kids. I don't think outsiders (like politicians) get that.

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools? Scary prospect.

Comments?

 

[Douger]

Emily Fisher opened 14 years ago and serves some of the state’s toughest-to-educate children. Almost all of the nearly 400 students are poor and about 40 percent have special education needs. Many failed in other schools: The mission statement includes reaching out to "disruptive" students. There are kids who were incarcerated, and several dozen have children of their own.

But next month, the school is expected to close. The state Department of Education this spring denied a renewal of Emily Fisher’s charter, due in large part to low test scores, citing a "culture of low expectations" and "little evidence of learning taking place." If the school closes, students will "transition" back to regular Trenton schools.

Kevin G. Welner, a professor of education at the University of Colorado Boulder and director of the National Education Policy Center, said so-called "last chance" or "alternative" schools that enroll at-risk students almost never show high test scores or even strong test score growth, "so it makes little sense to hold them accountable using that standard."

Low test scores outweigh lofty challenges as Trenton charter school faces closure | NJ.com

This article paints a rosy picture of a school that is most likely out of control. However...

There is NO expulsion in the State of NJ. These troublemakers are sent to costly, alternative programs simply to protect the other kids. I don't think outsiders (like politicians) get that.

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools? Scary prospect.

Comments?

Sure.Move to a civilized country. Upgrade to the "Third World !!!"
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wc-5WNrN1g]Lipdub Colegio la Providencia Concepcion Chile - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Douger]

How about reality ?
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHhfCT3Rh7M]Earth University Overview - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Douger]

murka. The only nation with a "war college"
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uS7BlX_IQY&feature=related]Students' Life at UPEACE - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Douger]

No. Not wimpy hippies.
Lots of productive after school activities. No Not football, B ball,baseball and other such irrelevant bullshit.Life lessons.How to be civilized and control your emotions while having fun.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB9E0S2NIlI&feature=relmfu]Exhibición en Feria CATIE 2008 Kenshinkan Judojo Demostration - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Mad Scientist]

No. Not wimpy hippies.
Lots of productive after school activities. No Not football, B ball,baseball and other such irrelevant bullshit.Life lessons.How to be civilized and control your emotions while having fun.

Whaaa?

You mean I'm not supposed to yell at the TV when a guy takes a stick and hits a rubber ball over a fence?

I can't get excited when a guy takes a bouncy rubber ball and puts it through a metal hoop?

I'm supposed to remain calm when a guy knocks a little white ball into a hole in the ground? Are you serious?

All those things are "Amazing", "Gorgeous" and "Beautiful"! I know they are because the man on the Sports Channel said they are.

 

[old navy]

I average around 170 students per year and have less with IEPs this year for some reason. I still have enough to struggle at times being a non-SPED trained teacher, having SPED students mixed with regular ED, whatever regular or normal is.

Our formerly very high performing system is now just high performing. The parents have insisted on lowering the grade scale and the discipline policy. We can still suspend and expel students but there are four or so agenda items before the Board that will neuter the discipline policy even more. We have 3 or 4 alternative schools that are very expensive to operate. As more of the wealthy parents put their kids in private school, the decision to cut some of the programs for problem children will be easier to make. The parents meanwhile still demand that Little Johnny and Little Precious get into their dream college and blame the neutered system (and teachers) when they do not.

It has been said that spending more on education means spending less on the prison system. I disagree. The citizenry must decide on where their tax dollar is better spent. Waste time and money on the incorrigible now or warehouse them later at a probable lower cost.

 

[chanel]

NJ just changed the formula for the drop out rate. Students sent to alternative programs will no longer count as transfers; but as drop outs. I would suspect that will have a chilling effect on these schools. Why spend the money?

 

[old navy]

NJ just changed the formula for the drop out rate. Students sent to alternative programs will no longer count as transfers; but as drop outs. I would suspect that will have a chilling effect on these schools. Why spend the money?

Numbers and how they are counted do make a difference. For example, this county's test scores (and health care while I'm at it) compared to the rest of the world is much lower. If we were to manipulate the numbers by excluding the ESOL kids, and the ones who have skated through school, and the low SES kids, the SPEDs, and the list goes on, and just reported the scores of our best and brightest, whew, we would be at or near the top.

When our low numbers come out, the answer is to throw more money at the "problem" but that is not the answer. And of course, the real problem is those high paid teachers, enjoying all those benefits and time off while not teaching the skills needed to compete with the rest of the planet.

 

[chanel]

I have a lot to say on this subject, but it's like beating a dead horse. This week a lot of the teachers were talking about the obesity rate and the number of overweight children at our school. The problem is a: instant gratification from high fat foods and b: lack of exercise. This phenomena can be seen in the classrooms as well. Too many kids are LAZY (profane word in education) and they have no self control. Education has become a passive experience where the teachers are supposed to "feed them" the information while entertaining them. If the subject is difficult or boring, they will fail and blame the teachers. How do we change that?

 

[old navy]

Im not sure it can be changed system wide but thankfully, AP and IB and other such honors programs still have strict requirements that students have to fulfill in order to get that diploma. Those kids are the ones getting into college and the hard-to-get in programs.

The majority of my CTE students will never make it to medical or nursing school and a bunch have to go to community college first. And that is my focus with them. I try to prepare them for the working world and their first year in college. I just stay out of the way of the the really bright ones as they do not need my help anyway. Many of them use me as a teacher recommendation and I have carved a niche in helping them get into good colleges.

I hate to put it in the following terms but there actually is a seperate but equal system that is helping the smart and hard working kids (like my two) but getting the blame for the ones who are not making the cut.

 

[Ariux]

Some kids (mostly Afro) just can't be educated. At least keep them out of the general school population so they won't hurt other kids (either physically or academically). It might not seem right that taxpayers should have to fund an alternative school for a kid who has given up his right to be in school and who also can't learn, but if not for an alternative school, these pieces of shit would have more time to prey on others, like that drug-dealing burglar Travon Martin who was under suspension rather than in an alternative school, or in a prison cage where animal shit belongs. (Zimmerman is a HERO!)

 

[Big Black Dog]

Emily Fisher opened 14 years ago and serves some of the state’s toughest-to-educate children. Almost all of the nearly 400 students are poor and about 40 percent have special education needs. Many failed in other schools: The mission statement includes reaching out to "disruptive" students. There are kids who were incarcerated, and several dozen have children of their own.

But next month, the school is expected to close. The state Department of Education this spring denied a renewal of Emily Fisher’s charter, due in large part to low test scores, citing a "culture of low expectations" and "little evidence of learning taking place." If the school closes, students will "transition" back to regular Trenton schools.

Kevin G. Welner, a professor of education at the University of Colorado Boulder and director of the National Education Policy Center, said so-called "last chance" or "alternative" schools that enroll at-risk students almost never show high test scores or even strong test score growth, "so it makes little sense to hold them accountable using that standard."

Low test scores outweigh lofty challenges as Trenton charter school faces closure | NJ.com

This article paints a rosy picture of a school that is most likely out of control. However...

There is NO expulsion in the State of NJ. These troublemakers are sent to costly, alternative programs simply to protect the other kids. I don't think outsiders (like politicians) get that.

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools? Scary prospect.

Comments?

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools?

My vote is YES. If they get themselves into trouble, send them to prison where they belong.

 

[High_Gravity]

No. Not wimpy hippies.
Lots of productive after school activities. No Not football, B ball,baseball and other such irrelevant bullshit.Life lessons.How to be civilized and control your emotions while having fun.

Whaaa?

You mean I'm not supposed to yell at the TV when a guy takes a stick and hits a rubber ball over a fence?

I can't get excited when a guy takes a bouncy rubber ball and puts it through a metal hoop?

I'm supposed to remain calm when a guy knocks a little white ball into a hole in the ground? Are you serious?

All those things are "Amazing", "Gorgeous" and "Beautiful"! I know they are because the man on the Sports Channel said they are.

Whats wrong with enjoying a good game every once in a while? are we supposed to talk politics 24/7?

 

[High_Gravity]

Emily Fisher opened 14 years ago and serves some of the state’s toughest-to-educate children. Almost all of the nearly 400 students are poor and about 40 percent have special education needs. Many failed in other schools: The mission statement includes reaching out to "disruptive" students. There are kids who were incarcerated, and several dozen have children of their own.

But next month, the school is expected to close. The state Department of Education this spring denied a renewal of Emily Fisher’s charter, due in large part to low test scores, citing a "culture of low expectations" and "little evidence of learning taking place." If the school closes, students will "transition" back to regular Trenton schools.

Kevin G. Welner, a professor of education at the University of Colorado Boulder and director of the National Education Policy Center, said so-called "last chance" or "alternative" schools that enroll at-risk students almost never show high test scores or even strong test score growth, "so it makes little sense to hold them accountable using that standard."

Low test scores outweigh lofty challenges as Trenton charter school faces closure | NJ.com

This article paints a rosy picture of a school that is most likely out of control. However...

There is NO expulsion in the State of NJ. These troublemakers are sent to costly, alternative programs simply to protect the other kids. I don't think outsiders (like politicians) get that.

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools? Scary prospect.

Comments?

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools?

My vote is YES. If they get themselves into trouble, send them to prison where they belong.

I was thinking maybe a Military school type of arrangement, boot camp style, if these are really bad kids sending them back to their old schools is just putting them back on the streets to fuck up.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Low test scores outweigh lofty challenges as Trenton charter school faces closure | NJ.com

This article paints a rosy picture of a school that is most likely out of control. However...

There is NO expulsion in the State of NJ. These troublemakers are sent to costly, alternative programs simply to protect the other kids. I don't think outsiders (like politicians) get that.

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools? Scary prospect.

Comments?

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools?

My vote is YES. If they get themselves into trouble, send them to prison where they belong.

I was thinking maybe a Military school type of arrangement, boot camp style, if these are really bad kids sending them back to their old schools is just putting them back on the streets to fuck up.

IMO, we cater to these clowns too damn much. Behavior is a learned process. Kids need to learn how to behave in the general population of their peers. If a kid wants to be a bad ass, that's fine. He can be a bad ass kid in prison and not in the class room. Prisons have schools too.

 

[High_Gravity]

What to do with the criminals???? Send them back to their regular schools?

My vote is YES. If they get themselves into trouble, send them to prison where they belong.

I was thinking maybe a Military school type of arrangement, boot camp style, if these are really bad kids sending them back to their old schools is just putting them back on the streets to fuck up.

IMO, we cater to these clowns too damn much. Behavior is a learned process. Kids need to learn how to behave in the general population of their peers. If a kid wants to be a bad ass, that's fine. He can be a bad ass kid in prison and not in the class room. Prisons have schools too.

Oh I agree 100%, the problem is we are catering too these clowns way too much and they aren't stupid they see it and whats worse there are no real penalties for their actions and they know it, suspensions and expulsions mean nothing because thats just more time for them to hang out at home or roam the streets. These alternative schools just sound like the idea of someone whos never been in these kids neighborhoods and thinks that all they need is a different environment to learn, its a fantasy idea, most of these kids are in trouble for a reason, I support a Military process for these kids, most of them never had any real discipline in their lives.

 

[chanel]

To be honest, I don't think anyone working in these programs have any "fantasy" about what it actually is: a warehouse. Judges in NJ commonly "sentence" juvenile offenders to "attend school". They have no place else to put them, and don't want them running the streets. These programs fill that need.

Teachers in my school constantly complain about how the alternative school lets kids watch BET and have pizza parties every Friday. I DON'T CARE! They could provide them with lap dances and it matters not to me. The only thing I do care about is that they are not interfering with the learning of the good kids. Unless they are willing to build more kiddie jails or bring back expulsion, it's all we have.

Closing them down could have a very negative impact on all public schools.

 

[Samson]

To be honest, I don't think anyone working in these programs have any "fantasy" about what it actually is: a warehouse. Judges in NJ commonly "sentence" juvenile offenders to "attend school". They have no place else to put them, and don't want them running the streets. These programs fill that need.

Teachers in my school constantly complain about how the alternative school lets kids watch BET and have pizza parties every Friday. I DON'T CARE! They could provide them with lap dances and it matters not to me. The only thing I do care about is that they are not interfering with the learning of the good kids. Unless they are willing to build more kiddie jails or bring back expulsion, it's all we have.

Closing them down could have a very negative impact on all public schools.

All of what you've said is true.

However, the schools are PUBLIC.

Not, Public-except-for-that-portion-of-the-public-that-is-difficult-to-teach.

The latter is called a PRIVATE school.

 

[blimpo]

To be honest, I don't think anyone working in these programs have any "fantasy" about what it actually is: a warehouse. Judges in NJ commonly "sentence" juvenile offenders to "attend school". They have no place else to put them, and don't want them running the streets. These programs fill that need.

Teachers in my school constantly complain about how the alternative school lets kids watch BET and have pizza parties every Friday. I DON'T CARE! They could provide them with lap dances and it matters not to me. The only thing I do care about is that they are not interfering with the learning of the good kids. Unless they are willing to build more kiddie jails or bring back expulsion, it's all we have.

Closing them down could have a very negative impact on all public schools.

All of what you've said is true.

However, the schools are PUBLIC.

Not, Public-except-for-that-portion-of-the-public-that-is-difficult-to-teach.

The latter is called a PRIVATE school.

Those that you describe as simply 'difficult to teach' can basically shut down a classroom in an era where teachers have hammers over their heads ready to bash if test scores don't rise.
If we are going to be serious about learning we are going to have to get serious with the learners and discard anything that detracts from instruction.
You may have the right to attend a public school, but your right ends when you interfere with others.