Because they failed to meet federal adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals for at least two consecutive years, 17 Durham elementary schools must allow students to transfer to other schools. The Herald-Sun reports the system will send letters to parents notifying them of the option. If history holds, 200 to 300 kids will move out of the schools that aren’t measuring up.
I’ll leave for another time the debate over whether the No Child Left Behind law is good or bad policy. What struck me is that the school system’s chief of staff, Lewis Ferebee, says the schools will try to keep their students and that schools have been “asked to do a marketing plan” to tell parents about the positives of the school.
First, that proves the power of competition. Suddenly the system feels the need to be pro-active about keeping its customers who, after all, are paying for the service. Good.
Second, will the “marketing plan” be part of a transparent letter that doesn’t try to bury the option of transferring or present the option of transferring as somehow hurting the school? We’ll see.
Third, perhaps the time spent on the “marketing plan” would be better spent on instruction.
