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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The issue is that Lee is an ESOL CSS site for new comers (they did this when they cut ESOL funding and got rid of night schools), particularly those who are older (18-20). Under the VGLA standards, they were exempt from state testing but had to put together a portfolio of learning to show competency. The state did away with this, and based on projections, Lee's performance will tank. Compared to Mount Vernon, the SOL performance wasn't impacted as much by the loss of VGLA and Stuart's ESOL population is actually falling since some older new comers are choosing to go to Lee for services. These schools' ESOL students do not qualify for VGLA in large numbers so their SOL performance is static or minimally impacted.

This is definitely something that is being considered. And what has been the most interesting is that initial projections show that it's definitely possible to execute. There is political drama, though.[/quote]

I have two issues with this:

1) Why should the schools be punished for being burdened with the older ESOL population (18-20)?

2) What do you mean by saying some of the older newcomers are choosing to go to Lee? I hope you are not saying they get a choice. They should go to the nearest program. I'm going to assume they are just choosing to live in Springfield.

It seems as though the special program that was assigned to Lee may be the problem. What about the ESOL students of typical age?Are they not performing well?

Perhaps the special ESOL program should be moved elsewhere.[/quote]

Legally, public schools are supposed to offer education past age 18. I think most states cap it at 20 or 21 (otherwise, you'd be kicking out 18 year old seniors, fwiw).

I don't know if these students are getting to go to Lee while living out of zone or whether it became more popular because people in the community learned about it and moved to Springfield (which honestly has more affordable housing than other areas). I don't know if it's a chicken or egg.

The ESOL program was required because the county gutted ESOL funding. This is basically the only way to show it was providing newcomer services/services to low level ESOL students to older learners. From an admin standpoint, I think Lee got it because it had space and was under enrolled and had a lot of students in this bucket. If the county didn't do this, it would be forced to spend millions in litigation (see Prince William County, which went from having one non-compliant ESOL school to having over 50). It's the cheapest choice to be compliant since they got rid of the Marshall learning site/night school.
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I failed to explain my first question adequately - it seems asinine to me to score a school such as Lee the same as a school like West Springfield when one school has be designated to host a program such as the special ESOL program. Why would the State do that?

Unless the typical (age 14-17) ESOL students at Lee are also doing poorly, the obvious solution is to reopen the night school at Marshall. By the way, would Marshall be penalized because that special program shares the same building?  That is how stupid this entire thing appears to be.

Reopening the night school would be much less disruptive than rearranging all the feeder elementary schools in several pyramids. Rearranging the feeders just buries the ESOL problem in the numbers. And what is the big deal if Lee goes under State oversight? The reason, assuming Lee doesn't have any other subgroups doing poorly, is pretty self-explanatory (large ESOL population).

Of course, I still think some students should be moved from West Springfield to Lee, but that will never happen.

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