The Oregonian has weighed in on the ongoing Portland Public
Schools’ high school redesign process. So far that process has been mainly
concerned with creating more “equity” or “fairness” among high schools as a
means of increasing high school graduation rates. The primary policy change
will be to restrict transfers and to create more equality in course offers
among “comprehensive” high schools of about 1,300 students.
Both the Oregonian editorial and PPS’ process so far have
overlooked two important components of any future high school system: (1) the
need for much stronger foreign language programs, including a high 
school study
abroad program; and (2) the need to aggressively develop more online course
alternatives for all high school students. Without these two components, any
redesigned high school system will be incomplete. And, since both study abroad
and online study take students out of buildings, no future building decisions
should be made until they are incorporated.
I do tend to agree with the Oregonian’s points on the
transfers issue (here):
Throughout this process, a few district leaders have
insisted that the transfer system "causes" inequity. They seem to
believe families would obediently attend their local neighborhood school if
they lost the ability to transfer.
This idea is an utter fallacy, ignoring decades of experience in urban
districts nationwide. Families are not a captive audience. They will leave a
district if pushed hard enough. They will not send their child to a school they
perceive as low-quality unless they have no other choice. As Portland's own
transfer patterns suggest, this is true among families of all colors and income
levels.
The district would be foolish to further cut students' already limited transfer
options. Schools should attract families with quality, not with force.
Finally, it pains us to repeat it, but the district should never dismantle a
thriving program as a way to achieve "fairness," unless that program
is indefensibly costly. If one high school finds success with a
language-immersion class, for example, the goal should be to replicate it --
not stamp it out in the name of equal opportunity.
Comments