Our View- Calif. calls out 187 low-performing schools
Published: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
 "Photo: Maximillian Piras")
Maximillian Piras
As we all progress to new levels of education, problems undoubtedly occur and often our typical response is to blame these problems on the actions of previous educational institutions.
In middle school, the phrase, “Don’t play games, this isn’t recess anymore,” is echoed. In high school, “Stop being so immature, we are not in middle school anymore,” was the phrase of choice. In college, blame is placed on high schools with the statement, “Get over it; we are not in high school anymore.” The blame-game continues well into life, but really the question is: “Is it appropriate?”
Part of President Obama’s agenda of “change” is to brings schools, falling short of standards, up to par.
Part of President Obama’s agenda of “change” is to brings schools, falling short of standards, up to par.
In order to get the ball rolling, California released a list of 187 low-performing schools on Monday.
The criteria used to develop the list are narrowed down to the school’s academic performance and graduation rate. The process started off, though, by sorting schools into groups based on whether a school was identified as being in Program Improvement (PI) for the 2009-10 school year. This section of schools was labeled Tier I and included three groups — elementary schools, middle schools and high schools.
Schools were also divided into groups based on school eligibility for funds. Schools that did not receive these funds were the focus. Tier II include these schools. This list included high schools and middle schools.
The bottom five percent of each group determined the list of 187 schools. The state’s Department of Education