Not only does new data show the lowest-performing students in the class of 2016 were transferring out of San Diego Unified, school officials now admit that’s exactly what has happened in the past – a major reversal after the district vehemently denied that was the case.
A closer look at data from individual high schools reveals a trend that might seem contradictory at first glance: Schools whose graduation rates are rising are simultaneously losing a significant number of students to charter schools and schools in other parts of town.
New records obtained by Voice of San Diego quantify for the first time how many struggling students in the class of 2016 left district high schools and how many of them were not on track to graduate. The records also reveal which schools students left. Top among them were high schools in poorer areas like Lincoln High and Morse High.
Thrive Public School, a charter school in San Diego, is, well, thriving. But it almost never opened to begin with. And a state proposal would all but doom future stories like Thrive’s.
San Diego Unified and Grossmont Union are suing to shut down certain charter schools that offer online credit-recovery courses and independent study options, saying they’re illegally operating within their boundaries. Meanwhile, San Diego Unified is expanding its own versions of those programs, hoping to capitalize on the growing market for non-traditional education options and hold onto students who would otherwise leave.
Data provided by five charter schools offers a window into the way San Diego Unified benefited from a system that allows it to unload its lowest-performing students and maintain a graduation rate above 90 percent.
In this week’s podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk to Miles Durfee of the California Charter School Association about some of the hottest topics of the charter school debate, and they dissect President Trump’s controversial pick for education secretary.
One big criticism leveled at charter schools is that they exacerbate school segregation. But there are a few big reasons why it’s hard to measure whether that’s happening in San Diego.
It’s not totally clear what Betsy DeVos might do as education secretary. But we can look at the limitations of the role and come away with a few points of understanding.
A thriving elementary school in a middle-class neighborhood. A bilingual school built from scratch. A charter with uniforms and strict discipline policies. Each story is distinct, but when we take a step back, we see common threads.