Mobile
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
News If only every school were as lucky as West Charlotte High
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 9:07 AM
I live in West Charlotte, so I'm certainly not complaining about the schools on this side of town receiving a much needed influx of cash, but wouldn't it be nice if every school were as lucky as those in this Charlotte Observer article?
As they launched a $55 million reform plan for struggling westside schools, Charlotte's business and philanthropic elite pledged to push for permission to try bold experiments, such as lengthening the school day or school year.Those declarations came at Monday's unveiling of Project LIFT, a privately financed plan to pour $11 million a year for five years into West Charlotte High and seven elementary and middle schools that feed its student body.
The project's backers say they will help CMS recruit and retain high-performing educators, and will push for longer school days, and programs for summer classes and early-childhood education. They will also provide technology for students and help families better support their children's education.
The goal: to increase the graduation rate and close the achievement gap separating minority and low-income students from their middle-income and white peers.
Officials say to tackle the problems, the westside schools need charter-school-style flexibility on spending, school calendars and other issues.
"If it's good enough for KIPP Academy and other high-performing charter school models, then why is it not good enough for the 135,000 students in CMS?" asked Anna Spangler Nelson, co-chair of the study group leading the effort.
Project LIFT will hire a coordinator who will work for CMS but be paid with private money. Some aid to CMS will start flowing in 2011-12, with the full program beginning in 2012-13.
Read the entire article, by Eric Frazier and Mark Price, here.
Rhiannon "Rhi" Bowman is an independent journalist who contributes commentary on Creative Loafing's CLog blog four days a week in addition to writing for several other local media organizations. To learn more, click the links or follow Rhi on Twitter.
Speaking of...
Comments (3)
Showing 1-3 of 3
Latest in The CLog
More by Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman
-
Cancer's better with a side of 'shrooms
Aug 7, 2020 -
The Last Mountain will move viewers
Aug 4, 2011 -
Government's mixed message for women
Aug 2, 2011 - More »
-
Meghan McCain's dating woes revealed
The girl is hard up and in need of help. Volunteers?
-
Question the Queen City: What lurks in the woods of Camp Greene? 1
The World War 1 training facility's tragic past lingers even today
-
Live review: Moogfest, Asheville 1
Five memorable performances from the weekend.
