Schools of Merit

In Florida and other states there is a rating system which designates certain schools to be worthy of special recognition. These schools end up with special grants and typically exhibit a banner over the entrance with the award clearly flaunted. This appears to be a good way of rewarding exceptional schools.

In the county where I live a charge has been levied against a school which had such a designation. This school was awarded top marks and was called the best school in this neck of the woods for the past four or five years. This fall a number of parents accused the school principal with unethical practises to receive this award.

These parents had children who were not quite as sharp as the administration wished and pressured the parents to find another school which would better serve their needs. One parent might be a crank or two might be a little problem but many posed a problem for the administration.

It was discovered that many children not presently attending this school were advised to move to another area school. Here in this county a parent has the right to send their children to any school of their choice as long as they can be accommodated. This leaves the system in a rather chaotic situation when schools are labeled as to their performance.

In the school I am referring to there was a shift of many children leaving and coming over the past few years. Those leaving had some special needs and lower grades and those coming were generally above average. This in itself pushed the academic reports to show exceptional improvement.

I don't know what the outcome will be in this case but it points out a great error in our thinking when we award gifts in the form of grants to schools who score high on those state tests.It would appear to be a mistake to make the good better on the backs of the needy. The analysis of a school will show that if you are serving the needs of needy and poor academic scholars that the scores are going to reflect this situation.

Everyone respects and admires a winner and we should reward good schools but we should put our resources in the places where the most need requires fixing. Rewarding individual teachers who take a class of students and bring them ahead during a year in spite of low academic levels might reflect greater growth than a teacher with all brilliant students merely covering the curriculum.

Some of the best teachers I have observed over many years inspire even the poorest learner to do his best and might never meet the states standard. These teachers are rewarded by knowing that they are helping students to maximize their potential and might even get a golden apple. This should not impede that school from being recognized as a school of merit but should enhance the schools standard.

If there is one way to judge a school surely it is the manner in which it reaches its goals by meeting the needs of all students regardless of ability by meeting the needs of the individual student.