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RE: School info

Created by:

MWMaverick

Date: December 10, 2007, Number of Replies: 0

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In response to the "school info" debates, here's what I freely circulate in and around Los Angeles. I am putting together a guide and a website to parents/prospective parents and will make it available to real estate agents here. This is particular to Los Angeles Unified, yes, but much of this applies to anyone anywhere.

Don't rely on test scores or district info. Get into the schools.

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A parent's ability to choose a public school in Los Angeles has become more difficult since I got lucky with our local elementary school for my son in 1993. Why? I'm not able to give a detailed answer in this post but overcrowding in schools and contraints placed on schools by the federal No Child Left Behind act have had an impact on choice in L.A., the latter being problemmatic in that the act's provisions were supposed to increase school choice options for parents whose students attend failing schools here but have not done so in any appreciable numbers. The constraints on school choice are more evident when it comes to choosing middle and high school, less so when parents are choosing elementary schools. (I'll cover open enrollment procedures in a separate post).

Los Angeles Unified now has in excess of 100 public charter schools and they are generally very popular with parents which leads to long waiting lists and lotteries to determine who will attend these schools. Charters, though, are not a panacea.

Even with the need to increase choice, parents and community members in Los Angeles (as elsewhere) are most often not equipped to determine the quality of the schools that serve their children. It may seem simplistic but a friend recently suggested an idea which may have some merit: What would happen if schools received letter grades similar to those assigned to restaurants by Los Angeles County? L.A. public schools do get report cards (of a fashion http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe?w3exec=sarc0) but if the current report for Venice High School is any indication, I question the reliability of these reports.

Until we have a comprehensive means of evaluating our schools, and to serve as a starting point, here is my initial take on the top ten things to look for when parents tour a school. This is my first pass at this so I'll expand it when I've more time to more appropriately address the differences among elementary, middle and high school in a future effort. Keep in mind that I recommend you first visit your neighborhood school, go to the PTA and "booster club" or "friends of" meetings and meet other parents there to ask them what they like and don't like...some of them take the time to volunteer while their kids are still in preschool, a good idea since it can give you an idea of the school's strengths and weaknesses.

1) Are the kids happy? After your visit, do you wish you could start kindergarten there? Does the school appear friendly?

2) Are parents welcome? As a parent, look for ways to be involved, not just as a member of the parents association, but as volunteers in the classrooms? Is the principal's door really open to parents? Does the school invite parents to events throughout the school year? Are you welcomed at the front office, ignored or made to feel like a pariah?

3) Size up the principal. Principals are "principal teachers"...the good ones can transform fair, even
underperforming schools into wonderful places in a couple of years. A bad principal can allow a school to falter, ruin programs and demoralize teachers in the same timeframe. Does the principal put children first or does the school appear to cater to adult agendas? Does the school's leadership team support and believe in the principal's vision?

4) Check for examples of student work Look for student essays, projects and the like displayed in classrooms, hallways and on bulletin boards and walls, preferably work reflecting individual thought and creativity. Look, especially, for examples of student writing - yes, even in the earliest grades. Better schools have plenty of things children can touch and feel in math and science including live animals, plants, etc.

5) Quality of teaching Try to look beyond the school building and yard to what is going on in the classrooms. Are the kids engaged in and motivated by what's going on? I'll take a non-credentialed teacher over a credentialed one if he or she is really connecting with the kids.

6) Classroom libraries Take care to observe that there is no shortage of picture books and (as age appropriate) novels, books about historical events, biographies and science discovery books. Are they current, interesting? Question schools that appear to rely heavily on texts.

7) School atmosphere Is it safe, clean, caring and well-organized? Is it noisy? Schools in L.A. have recently been "upgraded" with new forced-air heat and air conditioning and in some classrooms, the noise levels will actually interfere with learning. You should also be able to observe kids socializing with one another in classes. Silence isn't always golden. Teachers should also be meeting regularly to discuss everything from curriculum to progress and challenges facing individual children. Examine class sizes and the number of children in classes.

8) Ask questions Once you've completed touring the school, ask about any impressions you may have gotten about the philosophy and atmosphere of the school. Here's a hint: don't put teachers and administrators on the defensive, you will probably uncover more by asking them how they deal with behavior and discipline problems instead of â€œIs your school safe?â€ Ask for a copy of the visitation policy so you may check on classes during the year. A school that truly values parents as partners is not afraid of what you might see.

9) Ask to see the school's Single Plan for Student Achievement and ask to review the Safe School Plan
This will include the school's mission statement, goals and the strategies it is employing to meet those goals. If there are discrepancies between what is represented in the Single Plan and Safe School Plan and what you see going on at the school, make note of them and ask about them. Inquire about any periodic assessments which shouls support good instruction practice.

10) Evaluate the level of parent and community support This is often thought to be the most important finding on research on good schools - schools which involve and engage parents are more successful. Period. Parents have a role beyond holding bake sales and being field trip chaperones - they must be treated as partners in establishing a school's goals and policies including those addressing discipline, grading, attendance, safety and testing. If the school you are considering for your child does not authentically resonate with you as such a place, pay attention to those instincts.

Bill Ring
Vice Chair, Hamilton High School Site Council
Music Academy Shared Decision Making Council
Past Chair, Parent Collaborative
Organizer, Local District 3 Parent Community Advisory Council
Moderator, LAUSDParents Yahoogroup
www.guerrillaguidetolaunified.com
Director, TransParentÂ®
Is Your School A TransParentÂ® School?
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11812 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 100
Los Angeles, Ca. 90049
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