June Jordan School for Equity is a bright star as seen from San Francisco public high schools and a national example of how limited attendance and tailor instruction to individual needs may push for struggling college students.
The school, which opened seven years ago, boasts small class sizes and an adviser for 16 students, plus a college counseling. June Jordan's funding of more than $ 11,000 for each of the 241 students who come from public and private sources, more than most students from other districts receive.
The school board that he loved. So do many parents and students.
The problem is still June Jordan, one of the worst performing schools in California in the standard tests. And the loss of students is high, with a fraction of each class of first year students to stick to four years.
The school has a rate of 70 percent college enrollment - not far behind the top area high schools, Lowell and the School of Arts. But it is based on a very small numbers: Of the 37 students who graduated in June last year from Jordan, 26 of them focused on higher education. Four years ago the first grade class has 144 students.
In his view, June Jordan is probably a big school or a failure. But how a school can be regarded as so good and so bad at the same time?
This dilemma is the small high school in the heart of a raging national debate over how schools evaluate - and their teachers and administrators - especially those who teach the students at risk.
Standardized tests has historically most efficient and quantitative to do, but some argue that the use of multiple choice examinations is overrated.
Nuila Brian, a junior, does not care about the school looks on paper.
"I like it," he said. "He has changed my life I thought I was not smart .. I can not do things. Now, I know I can."
Small schools movement
The school, which opened in 2003, is part of the district small schools the design of the policy, a reform effort of the school to create "learning environments for teaching individual students at risk, a greater independence in the recruitment of teachers and hands-off approach to the environment.
The National Small Schools' movement that has given birth to schools like Jordan in June was a year of education reform days ago, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. But in recent years, the effort sputtered as school districts substantial budget cuts could no longer justify the additional funds required by these schools.
San Francisco remains committed to the idea - and offers a portfolio of options for a high-pupils, says Jane Schulze, assistant superintendent of secondary schools.
"Some children want and nurturing high school experience, traditional," she said. "Others want a specific career programs Others want a very small area .."
June Jordan is one of five small schools in the district, including two in the last year opened and two others that test scores as JUNE Jordan.
'Untouchables a School
Meanwhile, the school is so small that it flies under the radar of the state and federal control. Secondary schools with higher test scores landed on the worst list of public schools, a designation that requires them bureaucratic wheels to turn, get rid of teachers and principals, or even face closure.
Not the Jordan in June
directors of school districts and elected board members, who remain committed to the concept of small schools have avoided public inquiry in June Jordan lack of academic achievement.
"The Board of Directors, a school and the security is not to touch," said school board member Jill Wynns, who supports the school, but also for greater surveillance to monitor school performance and cost. "I am and have always been very nice when something new, you should give him a chance to work.
"On the other hand, she said:" I think we should be critically examined. I think we should not allow other people tell us whether the school is pretty good. "
Walk the halls of June Jordan, sitting in classrooms, listening to students and test scores of schools beginning to look more blurred.
In a social studies class at a recent date, 16 students debated the revolution was the most revolutionary: American, French, Haitian, and Mexican.
low test scores
At the end of the hallway, a biology class of 19 teenagers discuss whether an albino koala albino offspring were probably a conversation that included an analogy of natural selection of the mutant X-Men comics.
Often, students worked in groups, sharing ideas and helping each other.
Therefore preferred to higher Ema Paea school despite a letter of acceptance of Lowell, the most prestigious public high schools in the country.
"I think I have something better for me," she says of her choice "You can stand out individually .. Everybody helps everybody."
But the test results?
School English, math, science and social studies test scores is a continuation city just a notch above the court and schools, the landing of the school under the 10 per cent less than once a State and between schools with similar demographics for three consecutive years.
Although scores increased slightly last year, they were still well below most other district schools.
Only 9 percent of the class of Paea scored at the mastery of the history of the United States, and no students are competent in chemistry.
"These tests do not cover that we studied," she said.
Her classmate Moneace Smith has another branch.
"This is not the criterion should be showing me how I was smart," she said. The school should be measured by "how we build community, and we are building leaders and to take children from disadvantaged Ru who have no hope, no decision even to go to college and abandon their whole set," she said.
co-director of the school, Matt Alexander, accepted the tests are not the best measure of student achievement, but he knows the question marks.
Alexander said he believes that if the school program that focuses on equality, social justice, leadership and college admission results, test results will follow.
"I think we now realize that we should pay more attention to science tests," he conceded "It is a separate set of skills .."
Teachers and administrators are now hard at work to prepare students for the standard tests, you pass the practical tests and learn to cope with stress.
Eventually
But even if test scores rise, the question is whether the district is really for her husband, given the very limited staff and loss rates in schools.
District policy calls for small schools enroll a maximum of 400 students in small secondary schools - about 150 more than the current offer in June Jordan. Alexander said the school would be even lower the needs of students to meet.
Enrollment has dropped from 371 students four years ago to 300 students three years ago to 272 students two years ago to 241 students now - nine shy of the current capacity. This year the first year class of more than 5000 in San Francisco, June 70 students identified Jordan as their first choice for registration.
But district officials have a lot of faith and finances of the school.
"June Jordan is focused on building a safe place to learn and a place for joy of learning," said Jane Kim chairman of the Council. "They must also our most difficult students do not be afraid of it .."
But this is the last four years the policy of the Council of the small school has adopted, and perhaps it is time to focus more attention, she acknowledged.
"It is time to decide," said Kim.
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