Feb 5, 2018

Fast Track Scholars >>>>> Article #4 in a Multi-Article Series >>>>> Programs Projected to Raise Academic Achievement of Students in the Minneapolis Public Schools--- With No Viable Hope of Doing So


This article is the fourth article in a series presenting figures for programs identified by the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) administration and MPS Board of Education as the key initiatives of the MPS district to raise student achievement levels, especially those for African American, Hispanic, American Indian (Native American), Somali, and Hmong students, for which not even 25% meet grade level standards on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs).

 

Most of these programs have been in place for many years, with meager results.  

 

Other than these programs, the Superintendent Ed Graff administration is placing its hopes on the training of staff and students in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), the use of Culturally Relevant Materials (CRM) and the implementation of a new reading curriculum for grades PK-5.

 

For reasons that I have detailed in past articles posted on this blog, none of the programs articulated by the Graff administration and approved by the MPS Board of Education is adequate to the task of raising student achievement levels or imparting a knowledge-intensive, skill-replete education. 

 

That will only come with complete curricular overhaul, comprehensive teacher retraining, highly intentional tutoring, resource provision and referral for struggling families, and bureaucratic trimming so as to direct resources to the students themselves.

 

These observations will be discussed at length in my substantially complete book, Understanding the Minneapolis Public Schools:  Current Condition, Future Prospect, for which I will continue to post snippets in the run-up to publication this coming May 2018.

 

The program under review here is Fast Track Scholars, identified for Closing Racial and Economic Achievement Gaps and Graduation from High School among the six goals identified under Minnesota Department of Education World’s Best Workforce regulations.

 

The Fast Track Scholars programs is closely tied to AVID, cited in a previous article in this series.  It a summer program for grade 8 students who are invited for participation during the summer session following the regular academic year;  all grade 8 AVID students receive such an invitation.  The Fast Track Scholars program covers a gamut of academic subjects and other activities, and there is a corollary objective of establishing personal connections to future high school classmates, counselors, and teachers.  Students may earn up to four elective high school credits in various courses including algebra, literacy, science, engineering, geography, physical education, health, English as a Second Language, website design, work readiness, robotics, ceramics, drawing, guitar, and theater.

Hence, the objectives of the Fast Track Scholars program are diffuse.  Many students enrolled in the AVID program still struggle to attain grade level proficiency on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in mathematics, reading, and science.  Nothing in the way that the Fast Track Scholars program is designed addresses the particular skill deficits manifested by individual students.  Thus, this program is not likely to be affective in raising skill levels so as to close the achievement gap.

 

And in a school district of approximately 20,000 students of color, a program covering only students anticipating matriculation in grade 9, and within that group fewer than 300 students, will make little difference to the overall student population;  there is not even a likelihood of affecting the academic performance for the general grade 9 population.

 

So while there are worthy features of the Fast Track Scholars program, the impression still builds with the review of each program purported to raise overall achievement levels that that decision-makers at the Minneapolis Public Schools dwell in a fantasy world, are cynical in advancing programs that they know cannot work, or are joltingly incompetent.

 

Consider now the data pertinent to Fast Track Scholars:                

 

>>>>>   

 

Program for                                       

World’s Best Work Force (WBWF)

Alignment, 2017-2018

 

Major (WBWF) Academic Program #4

 

Fast Track Scholars

 

Projected WBWF Goals Addressed  >>>>>

 

Racial and Economic Achievement Gaps Closed

 

Graduation from High School


Budgetary Allocations for Academic Years
Ending in 2016, 2017, and 2018:
 

    2016                       2017                      2018

Budgetary           Budgetary           Budgetary

Allocation           Allocation          Allocation          

 

 $50,000                $13,000                $13,000               

 

Students Served (Rising 9th)

 

Academic Year Ending in 2017                  

 

K-8          Middle        High         Academic Year

                  School        School        2016-2017

                           

-----            -----            269        

 

Academic Year Ending in 2018                  

 

K-8          Middle       High        Academic Year

                  School        School     2017-2018            

 

-----            -----            189

 

Students Served by Race                                                             

 

(Academic Year                Ending in 2017)

 

 

African American    >>>>>

 

108

 

American Indian     >>>>>

(Native American)

 

  6

 

Asian >>>>>

 

  20

 

Hispanic >>>>>

 

  71

 

White  >>>>>

 

  42

 

Total  >>>>>

 

269

 

 

(Academic Year                Ending in 2018)

 

African American    >>>>>

 

109

 

American Indian     >>>>>

(Native American)

 

     7

 

Asian >>>>>

 

    7

 

Hispanic >>>>>

 

  47

 

White  >>>>>

 

  19

 

Total  >>>>>

 

189

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