Post in Why fewer MPS students, less revenue?

Jul 18 19:32 UTC

In a message dated 7/13/2008 11:21:36 PM Central Daylight Time,
<email obscured> writes:

> The biggest reason for the exodus [of Hmong students] was because of bus
rides.
>
> Like other Minneapolis high schools, North high had a two mile exclusion
> zone: you had to live more than two miles away from North High to
> qualify for a bus ride.  Most Hmong Thai students had to walk, many
> almost two miles.
>
> The Hmong Thai were very worried for their safety.  A Hmong girl had
> been murdered and stuffed into a van while on her way to school.  Many
> students had to walk past known drug houses.  Many Hmong Thai had to
> walk across Broadway, a favorite route for morning commuters to find
> prostitutes before heading into the office.  Hmong Thai girls were
> propositioned.

While canvassing the North Side as a school board candidate,
many parents voiced concerns about safety, and wanted their
children to take a bus to their designated neighborhood school,
but the district no longer provided bus service.

In the school board candidates forum at Washburn High School
in 2002 I spoke out against the cuts in bus service, warning that
this would do the district more harm than good financial because
many parents would try to enroll their children in schools where
bus service was offered, including charter schools.

David Jennings, superintendent in 2003-2004, presented the
outline of a plan to charterize a large part of the public school
system. The district would get out of the business of running
schools, with the possible exception of the SW area public
schools and high performing public schools in other areas of
the city. Students leaving the public schools would be enrolled
in charter schools, and the district could lease out its empty
school buildings to the charter schools.

Charterization of much of the public school system along the
lines recommended by David Jennings appears to be a
strategic goal of the board.  The last round of school closings
on the North Side left the remaining school buildings with
too little classroom space. This past year most of the district's
schools on the North Side were reportedly overenrolled. Actual
enrollment was much higher than had been predicted. And some
parents were reportedly encouraged to enroll their children in
charter schools.

Why did the issue of teacher-turnover get no attention in the
district's new strategic plan? The goal of bringing teacher-turnover down to
low levels in all schools was part of the district improvement plan
adopted in 2002, though that plan lacked baseline data, interventions,
and measurable goals and timetables related to cutting teacher turnover
rates. However, district research and experience with North Star and
Hall elementary schools indicates that cutting teacher turnover rates would
help to improve the quality of instruction.

-Doug Mann, Minneapolis School Board candidate, King Field neighborhood