Leslie Lewandowski, Record as Director of Contract Alternative Schools

As miserable as is the education at the mainline schools of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), education at the alternative schools with which MPS contracts is much worse.  The unfortunate students who end up at these schools are those for whom MPS has articulated no viable program to deal with their multiple problems of behavior, academic failure, and familial challenges. 



Staff at alternative schools does typically connect with students on an emotional level, so that in that regard alternative schools are in a position to save a young person from sinking into a life of absolute hopelessness.  But as academic institutions, the alternative schools are mere degree mills, from which graduation means nothing, offering no preparation for work or higher education.

At the Minneapolis Public Schools, the Davis Center staff member with oversight responsibility for the contract alternative schools is Leslie Lewandowski (salary, $100,465).  Here are the academic results for these schools, nominally covering academic years ending in 2014, 2015,  2016, and 2017;  but note the many gaps, occurring for many reasons, presumably chief among them the inability to muster attendance to present a statistically viable number of students:  

MPS Contract Alternative Schools (Leslie Lewandowski, Director), Percentages of Students Meeting Grade Level Standards on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) for Academic Years Ending in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017

 

American Indian OIC

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                      4%        1%           2%      -----

Reading               14%        3%         4%      13%

Science                   1%       2%       11%        5%

 

 

Center School

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                    -----       -----        -----      -----

Reading               -----       -----         8%        8%

Science                12%     29%       17%        8%

 

 

Loring Nicollet

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                      9%      17%       -----      -----

Reading               15%      -----        -----      -----

Science              -----         -----        30%        7%

 

Menlo Park

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                      6%      -----       -----       -----

Reading               18%      -----       -----       15%

Science             -----          -----       -----       -----

 

Merc

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                  -----      -----       -----        -----

Reading             10%     -----       -----       -----

Science               -----     -----       -----       -----

 

PYC Arts and Technology High Schools

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                    2%      -----         3%       -----

Reading               8%        8%        3%       -----

Science              -----         2%        4%       -----

 

Tatanka Academy

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                 17%       -----        -----       -----   

Reading            17%       -----        -----       -----   

Science              -----       -----        -----       -----

 

Urban League Academy

 

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                  -----       -----        -----       -----   

Reading             -----        5%         -----       -----   

Science              -----       -----       -----       -----

 

VOA High School

2014     2015     2016     2017

 

Math                   5%         3%      -----       -----   

Reading             -----       -----       11%     14%   

Science              -----       -----       20%       9%