Incentive Schools: Newspaper clippings

SATURDAY, MARCH 21,1992 3B Recruitment booth set up for LR incentive schools I Park Plaza Shopping Center will be the site of a student information and recruiting booth for the Little Rock School Districts Incentive schools from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. today. Local radio personality Craig ONeill will visit with parents and students about programs at the schools. Drawings for books, dictionaries and other prizes will be held hourly. The seven incentive schools are in east and central Little Rock and are generally accessible to working parents in downtown Little Rock. The schools offer enhanced funding for each child, homework centers, in-state and out- of-state field trips, extended- day and Saturday programs, aerobics, gymnastics, dance, choir and band. Incentive schools also offer a homework hotline, a computer program allowing students to check out laptop computers for home use, and a fullday program for 4-year-olds. Students eligible to attend incentive schools include ma- jority-to-minority transfer students from the Pulaski County Special and North Little Rock school districts, students now attending private schools, and new and current Little Rock district students. The seven incentive schools are in east and central Little Rock. The incentive schools are Franklin, Garland, Ish, Mitchell, Rightsell, Rockefeller and Stephens elementaries. For more, information or to arrange tours of the schools, call the student assignment office at 324-2286 or the office of desegregation at 324-2110.ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE WEDNESDAY, APRILS. 1992 I Incentive schools report assailed LR board blind-sided by inaccuracies, committee told BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Oemocrar-Gazette Slaff Writer A recent report to the Little Rock School Board criticizing the districts incentive schools blind-sided district administrators with its inaccuracies, James Jennings, an associate superintendent for desegregation, said Tuesday. The March 26 report was prepared by a subcommittee of the districts Biraeial Advisory Committee, but the full committee never approved the document before it was read to the school board by committee Bennie Smith. A chairman copy of the report was also sent to U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright. The report accused the district of failing to implement the entire federal court-approved plan for the seven incentive elementary schools. The schools are supposed to offer double funding per student and extra programs as a way to improve the achievement levels of black children and attract white children to the I schools. hard-to-desegregate I am very frustrated by the inaccuracies and the process that was used to write the report, Jennings told the committee Tuesday night. I am not trying to muzzle the committee. My concern is the students. He agreed that programs in the schools have room for improvement, but said the programs do exist. The committee's contention that the district had failed to implement the programs was a serious charge that could lead to a contempt finding against the district in federal court, he said. I have no apologies for this report, Smith told the committee. He said the committee directed him to write the report. The committee approved a new policy requiring the fui! committee to act on all future reports before they are submitted to the school board or court. Committee members also voted to study data that Jennings provided to contradict the findings in the report. The
will decide at their next meeting whether to amend the report to the board. tArkansas Democrat (j^azctte SUNDAY, MAY 16, 1993 Copynght C 1993, Little Rock Newspapers. Inc. Schools sponsor youth art exhibit in sispsgssps S-SSS==$s=SS to Sprove btehuS/n P-<gra'ns designedArkansas Democrat '385 C^azcttc SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26,1993 Spec la I Report Incentive School Program Money not yielding right answers in LR, systems critics say BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Incentive schools each fill a niche The Little Rock School Dis- . Rockefeller Elementary receives trict is pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars a year into an incentive school program that isnt working. And, although enrollment in national recognition 6A operate as it has so far. For four years the incentive schools have received twice the bL 1 w. the program is dropping at an alarming rate, the six incentive schools will Incentive schools per-pupil fund-ing Enrollment continue to siphon off mon- ! ey at twice the ! rate of other elementary schools for at least two more years. Little Rocks incentive schools were supposed to become national models of excellence and effective desegregation. Both educators and par2100 2000 1900 1800 1700 1600 1500 1400 0 Year 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 Note: These numbers do not include the enrollment at Ish Elementary, which closed after the 1992-93 school year. Ish had 187 students last year. Source
LRSD Oct. 1 enrollments SCALLION I Democrat-Gazette schools get, with the federal court-mandated aim of attracting white students to the inner- city ele-mentaries and closing the gap between black and white performance levels on standardized tests. Under terms of a desegregation lawsuit settlement, the Little Rock School District has committed to ents say the schools have the potential to realize that image, but but if the program continues to the court that it will maintain Jouble funding for the schools See SCHOOLS, Page 6A regular B .ft t Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen B. Thornton A DIFFERENT TUNE Rightsell Incentive School students (from left) Gian Craig, Johnny Brown and Adam Ballard sing during a holiday PTA program last week at the Littlj^ock school. Despite such bright mome/ts, statistics suggest the double funding^e six incentive schools receive has bo'j^ht mostly broken promises. Schools Continued from Page 1A tor at least six years. The schools would use the extra money to create special programs to attract white students and improve the standardized test scores of black students. The district also promised to provide special programs beyond the six-year period if the schools are not yet desegregated. But the program has failed so miserably in attracting and keeping white students that five of the six schools have enrollments that are more than 86 percent black. By court-ordered formula, the districts schools are supposed to have black enrollments of 40-72 percent, And, because the incentive main low, and the academlc dis- i parity between black and while children remains wide, Brown said. The report concluded that I: !lhe extra money allocated for : the schools has been spent in- I efficiently. ' Arkansas Democrat-Gazelle in- schools operate under racial I tervlews with Brown, educators and parents found general agreement on a list of reasons for the programs ineffectiveness: No advertising or promotion for the incentive schools. Most parents know little or nothing about the programs and iviiat the incentive schools should offer. In my opinion, the district did a wonderful job advertising the magnet schools. I dont believe the incentive schools were marketed as well, said Melanie Gibson, mother of two Rockefeller School students and one bf the schools most ardent advocates. bunuvib operaie unaer racial r- . limits, declining white enroll- iiory doing good things ment has forced down black en- Kkll?nJ5!r weH^below canacH^*^ schools l^rincipal at Franklin Incentive well below capacity. Elementary. In fact total enrollment for Unlike the districts popu- Ine six schools has plummeted lar magnet schools, which have by nearly 30 percent in the last k Magnet Review Committee, in- two years.
The incentive schools get mil- j lions of dollars in extra money and offer programs and re- sources not available in other Central Arkansas schools. But most white parents are either unaware of the central and east Little Rock schools or choose not to send their children to them. Black families, too, are leaving the schools in significant numbers, both for other public schools and for private ones. Principals said transfers have been especially heavy to two magnet elementaries Crystal Hill in the Pulaski County Special School District and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Little Rock District. They expect the new magnet program at Clinton Elementary, which will open next year, to draw even more students away from the incentive schools. With the exception of Rockefeller School, the incentive schools are not making much progress toward desegregation and improving student achieve- ihent, federal Desegregation Monitor Ann Brown said in a report to U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright earlier this month. At a glance INCENTIVE SCHOOLS HISTORY: Little Rock Incentive schools date back to 1982. when the I
8lh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at St. Louis allowed four identiliably , black schools. The. number later in- . creased, and they were called ma- 'lor enhancement schools. The cur- I rent double-funded incentive schools
grew out of a 1989 Pulaski County desegregation settlement. ' COST: The district is projected to
spend $8.5 million to $8.7 million of : its $113 million operating budget on 1,454 incentive school pupils this . year. This exceeds the distrfcfs oblig- ' alien to fund the schools al $7.9 million, or $4,566 per pupil, to cover : special program costs. In contrast, . regular area schools will cost $2,678 per student, and magnet schools will I cost $3,823 per student, I ENROLLMENT: Incentive school : enrollment has dropped by more than 600 students in two years, from 2,072 in 1991 -92 to 1,454 this school
year, not counting 180 students lost when Ish Elementary closed this . year. The schools lost 536 black children and more than 100 whites. Only the number of children of other races and ethnic groups has increased. Incentive school enrollment makes up 10 percent of the district's elemen- . tary school enrollment and 6 percent I of overall enrollment. centive schools have had no advocacy group. Slow and uneven implementation of special programs. Several of the schools are only beginning to implement their academic themes because the district delayed in selecting themes and hiring needed specialists. And the district has had three different associate superintendents for desegregation in the past two years. Its difficult to determine if the incentive schools are effective because program plans have not always been properly executed, said Connie Hickman Tanner
an associate federal desegregation monitor. We cant say these are bad ideas until they are implemented. Almost no recruitment of whites. The district must prove to the judge that vigorous white recruitment took place before releasing more seats to black children. Dr. Russ Mayo, the districts new associate superintendent for desegregation, said he can find little evidence of student recruitment efforts or promotion of incentive schools in past years. Some of the most-involved families are among those lost to magnet programs at other schools. Parental concerns about the locations of the schools, safety, old buildings and a perception the schools are not for academically successful pupils. Declining populations in the school neighborhoods between 1980 and 1990. The decreases range from 2.9 percent in the Garland attendance zone to 27.8 percent in the Stephens zone, Ron Newman, a city planning manager, said. A catch in the districts desegregation plan that eventually would penalize successful incentive schools by taking away their extra funding. For the most part, even parents who have moved their children out of incentive schools have high regard for the program's potential. But generally they were frustrated by lurching development of the .schools. Vera Brownlee, a black parent, was PTA president at Mitchell this year before a spot opened up for her son at the private Word of Outreach School. We had a change in the school administration and in several teachers, Brownlee said about Mitchell. It would take until midyear for them to settle in, and my child does better in a more controlled environment. The order and discipline are much better at the new school than at any other public or private school she has visited, she said. But Brownlee praised the idea of incentive schools and the extended-day program. If the "edges could be ironed out, parents should line up to attend the incentive schools. The schools need more parental involvement and a strong relationship between the staff and parents, she said. More advertising of the school is necessary. Incentive school people feel like stepkids, she said. Why, if you are spending so much money on a school, do you not let anyone know about the programs? Another black parent, who asked not to be named, moved ,9. Stanford Achievement Test results District Grado 92 '93 1 2 3 4 5 6 (Black children at Incentive schools) Scores are in percentiles. The 50th percentile is the national average. Franklin Garland 31 28 33 33 34 32 36 40 32 34 43 45 '92 '93 19 29 .ag, '93- 21 18 22 19 34 32 10 27 24 30 Improved: 24 classes 26 23 17 28 28 38 23 48 16 30 32 45 Ish 92 '93 25 14 43 45 31 46 38 41 32 56 44 47 Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller Stephens '92 '93 25 25 26 23 27 23 29 36 40 35 36 44 '9g '93 Stayed the same: 4 classes 40 58 34 35 29 40 42 65 35 40 31 40 '92 -93 37 30 24 37 18 36 27 27 32 30 40 37 Dropped: 14 classes '92 '93 24 46 22 22 31 28 47 34 26 25 30 40 Note: Composite scores are a combination of math, reading, language arts, science and social studies scores. Source
Stale Oept. of Education Franklin was too big. I would drop Laura Jane off, and it was as if she was swallowed alive, Silkwood said. Elizabeth Frazier, black former PTA president at Franklin, moved her child to King this year, also because of its proximity to her job and to her familys day-care center. One noticeable difference between the schools is the sense of pride at King, she said. I think incentive schools are good, Frazier said. But some people have the wrong impression that the incentives are for children with special needs or are remedial schools. That took pride away from the staff and the children at Franklin. Sandra Thomas, black president of the Ish PTA, was forced to change schools for her family when Ish closed. She regrets the loss of the special programs, even though her daughter enjoys King. She criticized the district for not doing more to support and promote Ish and to ensure that it had the best possible staff. I never saw a billboard advertising the incentive schools, Thomas said. They never sent brochures to the neighboring districts to recruit to the incentives the way they do for the magnet schools. The double funding is the best thing the district can do if its spent properly to bring up children who may be behind, said Malvin Jones, former PTA president at Garland. The incentive schools can bring kids up to a level playing field. But Jones, who is black, said he is disappointed with the low number of whites in the incentive schools. And he disagrees with the Garland principal on the emphasis placed on African- American history. Jones unsuccessfully applied to have his daughter assigned to King this year. Mayo and his desegregation staff are trying to turn things around by assembling a recruiting plan to go into effect this school year, prior to preregistration, which will be Feb. 7-18. The incentive schools present a special problem for the district's new superintendent, Dr. Henry P. Williams. Before he came to Little Rock from Syracuse, N.Y., this fall, Williams said he believed he could help the district extricate itself from federal court control. That would require, among other things, reversing the desegregation monitoring assessments the incentive program has received so far.Arkansas Democrat (gazette SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1993 Each incentive school designed to fill a niche BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democral-Gazetle Education Writer The annual Christmas program at Mitchell Incentive Elementary School is just a few hours away. Fifth- and sixth-graders dip pretzels into bowls of chocolate and slice cheese-filled tortilla rolls in their after-school cooking class. The ballet class downstairs goes through steps one last time before the big show. Members of the creative writing class take notes on the festivities. Several blocks away, children at Rockefeller Incentive Elementary prepare for their own program. The computer class designed the programs, and the fifth-grade string orchestra will make its debut. Such after-school classes are among the academic and leisure activities offered three days a week in the Little Rock School Districts incentive schools. The schools offer class sizes of no more than 20 pupils an- daverage almost two adults per classroom
academic themes
customized educational plans for each child
school uniforms
lessons in Latin
field trips
and Saturday excursions to museums and Razorback football games. If people would come see what we do, they would be impressed, Dr. Samuel Branch, principal at Mitchell, said last week. Incentive school backers say the districts magnet schools have been glamorized at the expense of other schools in the district. The different kinds of schools can be confusing. In some cases, schools differ only in the way they are funded. The incentive schools are intended to get double the funding spent per pupil in the regular area elementary schools. The extra money enables the schools to offer the extended- day and Saturday programs and to provide specialists for the schools academic theme. Rockefellers theme, for example, is computer science, Rightsells is career and mass media awareness, and Garlands is communications technology. The Garland program is very new. The district school board only recently approved the purchase of equipment and training for it. Little Rocks magnet programs on the other hand generally are older, and the academic themes are better infused into the overall curriculum. The magnet schools dont have the extended-day programs or guaranteed smaller class size. Class sizes in nonincentive schools must meet state standards of maximums of 23 to 25 in the primary grades and 25 to 28 in the intermediate grades. Magnet schools require parent participation in conferences and PTA meetings. One of the schools asks pupils to wear uniforms. Themes are even part of each magnet schools name Booker Arts Magnet Elementary School, for example, or Carver Basic Skills/Math-Science Magnet Elementary. The districts six original magnets are funded jointly by the three Pulaski County school districts and the state at a rate of $3,823 per student this year. Seats are reserved in the schools for a certain number of students from each district. Newer magnet programs, such as the Dunbar International Studies/Gifted Education Junior High, are funded primarily by the Little Rock district. But extra state money is provided for each county and North Little Rock student who attends. Interdistrict schools, such as the Romine High Technology Interdistrict School, are similarly funded, but the school doesnt have the magnet title. The area schools in the district are the neighborhood schools that are not magnets and not incentive or interdistrict schools. The schools also may have areas of emphasis, such as drama or environmental science. The schools are eligible to apply for district grants for their programs.Arkansas Democrat (Bazctte SUNDAY. DECEMBER 26,1993 Rockefeller school showing way Appearance, location, unique offerings bring goals in reach BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Rockefeller Elementary is the one incentive school that U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright has recognized as making some progress toward desegregation goals. 'The school has a 29 percent white and 71 percent black enrollment this year and is the only incentive school within racial guidelines for regular area schools. Those guidelines call for black enrollment levels of 40 to 72 percent. Rockefeller is the incentive school farthest east. But Anne Mangan, the schools principal, says the relatively new buildings appearance and its location at the intersection of Interstates 30 and 630 attract families. She also cited a dedicated staff and sound programs. The school is unique in that it offers early childhood education for about 100 children, including those 6 weeks to 4 years old. Other district schools, including the other five incentive schools, have such programs only for 4-year- olds. The early childhood program predates the building of Rockefeller. Dr. Bettye Caldwell started the program at the now closed Kramer Elementary. Caldwell is a nationally recognized expert on early childhood education and a faculty member at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock The early childhood program attracts families from across Pulaski County and is open in the summer. Its a plus for the schools desegregation efforts, Mangan said, because many parents become comfortable with the building and the staff, and choose to keep their children in the school for kindergarten and first grade, rather than return to their neighborhood schools. Computer technology is the theme at the school. Each classroom has at least two computers, Mangan said. 'There is also a separate computer laboratory. Parents can check out lap-top computers to work with their children at home. Like all the incentive schools. Rockefeller has a specialist for the theme. A physical education teacher, a music teacher, an art teacher and a social worker are included on the staff. The school has two instructional aides for every three classrooms. Also like the other incentive schools. Rockefeller has extended-day and Saturday programs. The school has business partnerships with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law, and the College of Education, and the Friday, Eldredge and Clark law firm. Ann Brown, federal desegregation monitor and parent of a Rockefeller pupil, said the schools parents have a team spirit and have worked hard to support the school. Melanie Gibson, the mother of two Rockefeller pupils and the schools PTA president, praised the small classes at Rockefeller and the school allows her son to progress at his own rate. Roy Albert, a black Rockefeller parent, said he would match Rockefeller with any magnet school in the district.WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1994 Aifaansas Democrat 7^(jjjazcUc racr ? rM
<<5'1 <y. HR J SHOPPING FOR A SCHOOL Principal Anne Mangan {foreground, left) escorts Janet Rhoda and her daughter. Jennifer, 5, and son, Philip, 9, on a Arkansas Democral-GazeHa'Slaton BteWenIhal tour of Rockefeller Elementary School on Tuesday morning. The Rhodas are moving to Little Rock from Atlanta and are looking for a school. Incentive schools recruit whites Parents encouraged to tour classrooms, seek information BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazetle Education Writer The Little Rock School District wants your childs scout troop, Little League team, Sunday school class or group of neighborhood friends. The district is working to increase the white enrollment at its six incentive schools for next year by encouraging groups of parents to decide together to send their children to those schools, which are in east and central Little Rock. So far, no large groups have signed up, but Dr. Russ Mayo, district associate superintendent for desegregation, said recruiting efforts will continue this spring although the initial preregistration period for all Little Rock schools ends this week. Parents of children who will be kindergartners next year, or otherwise will be new to the district, should complete pre- regislration forms by 3 p.m. Friday at the school in their attendance zone. Also, current students who want to change schools within the district or transfer to the North Little Rock or Pulaski County Special school districts should complete preregistration forms this week. Parents who are uncertain about the location of their attendance- zone school can contact the districts student assignment office at 324-2272. Letters telling parents of their childs school assignments for next year will be mailed March 14. At that time, ^reregistration will reopen for children in kindergarten through grade 12 who did not register this month. Preregistration for the districts early childhood education program for 4-year-olds will be April 18-29. The school district has intensified efforts to attract white families to the six incentive schools, which get extra money to offer special programs to improve student achievement and entice whites to transfer to the schools voluntarily. The incentive schools, which range in black enrollment from 71 percent to 97 percent this year, are Franklin, Garland, Mitchell, Rightsell, Rockefeller and Stephens. Each school offers a particular academic theme, such as computer science, basic skills, creative dramatics and technology. The schools also offer an afterschool program that includes programs in scouting, cooking, dance, computers, orchestra, book publishing, and physical education and games. See INCENTIVE, Page 7BIncentive Continued from Page 1B On Tuesday, Janet Rhoda and her two children, Philip, 9, and Jennifer, 5, of Atlanta, toured Rockefeller and two other district schools in an effort to select a school to attend when they move here. The family bought a home in west Little Rock. Anne Mangan, Rockefeller principal, showed the family the school, including the two computers in each class, the art room, the early childhood rooms for children 6 weeks to 4 years old, and the science laboratory occupied by birds, tadpoles, gerbils and other animals, as well as pupils and teacher Melvia Mathis. Our school in Atlanta offers more in some areas and less in others, Rhoda said at the conclusion of the tour. The class sizes are much smaller here, she said. The incentive schools have: cap of 20 children per class room. Parents are invited to tour any district school, including the incentives. Tours can be arranged by calling the student assignment office or the schools this week or even after the registration period closes. Recruiters will speak to parent groups if asked. The district sent about 10,000 letters last month to inform prospective incentive-school parents about the schools, Mayo, the associate superintendent, said Tuesday. The district's court-approved desegregation plan obligates it to balance all of its schools racially, including the incentives. About 6,000 letters went to white families in the Pulaski County district, and the rest were sent to the families of children in private schools, private day-care centers or in seven Little Rock school zones that are predominantly white. Mayo said the response hasn't been as great as district officials would like. Additional steps, including more mailings, may be undertaken this spring. While no large groups have signed up for the incentive schools so far, the technique may work at other district schools. Kate Frazier, a parent in tlie Fair Park Elementary School attendance zone, has worked with friends to encourage families in the school neighborhood to consider Fair Park for next year. She was host of a party in her home in January at which school district officials talked about the school and the registration process. We want to hold hands and jump in, she said.Ariainsas Democrat Tgr (gazette WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9,1994 Only 5 whites preregister for LRs incentive school^ BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Only five white children preregistered last month for Little Rock School Districts six incentive schools, despite efforts to intensify recruiting this year. District employees sent letters to 10,000 white families in the Little Rock and Pulaski County Special school districts asking them to consider an incentive school for next year. But the five applicants this year equaled the number who preregistered for the current school year, when very little recruiting was done. I am kind of surprised the number is that low, Dr. Russ Mayo, the districts associate superintendent for desegregation, said Tuesday. The bottom line is the results are not what we wanted and we will continue to recruit. Preregistration for incentive schools will reopen in the district Monday and remain open through the summer. The 10,000 letters were sent to families of preschool and private school children and of children now in predominantly' white Little Rock schools. They also were sent to families in the neighboring Pulaski County Special School District, which has a predominantly white enrollment. Mayo said a second mailing may follow. The district is preparing brochures describing each incentive school. The district will continue to open the schools to parents who want to tour them, he said. Each school has a recruiting team of parents and teachers to make one-to-one contacts with other parents. The six incentive schools get extra money and have special programs designed to improve student achievement and attract whites to the hard-to-desegre-gate buildings. The schools have academic themes such as computer science, career awareness, and technology and extended day programs during which students can learn to cook, work on computers, sing, do their homework, play tennis, and participate in Girl and Boy Scouts. The schools also offer Saturday and summer activities. The five incentive schools in central Little Rock have black student enrollments of more than 85 percent. Those schools are Franklin, <G__a_rl_a_n__d, Stephens, Rightsell and MifcE-ell. At Rockefeller Elementary School in east Little Rock
en4 rollment is 71 percent black, 29 percent white. Desegregation of the incentive schools is seen as a key component of the desegregation plan that district officials wrote in 1989. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright and federal school desegregation monitor Ann Brown have harshly criticized the districts operation-of the six incentive schools. In. a recent report to Wright, Browns office found that virtually no recruiting was done for the schools before this year and
that the schools were underj-en-rolled. < At a Jan. 26 hearing,'the judge complained of some serious foot-dragging and dqlay: regarding the incentive schools
Deficiencies she noted includ
ed the districts slowness in im-plementing themes, recruiting students and hiring Spanish teachers. Its disappointing, very dis- - See SCHOOLS, Pagd 5B Schools Continued from Page 1B appointing, Brown said Tuesday of the latest statistics, though she noted the numbers are preliminary. The schools can continue to recruit children and will open up registration for pre-kindergarten programs for 4-year-oIds on April 18. Pre-kindergarten classes are offered at each incentive school. Brown, who has a child in an incentive school, said that while she is convinced that the enrollments can be more racially balanced, the district must mobilize its resources and energies in new ways to attract families to what she said are very fine schools. incentive school enrollment 100 I I White 50 0 IH Black 1993-94 1994-95 SOURCE: Little Rock School District Arkansas Oemocrat-Qazetle While the district worked to recruit students to the incentive schools and all other schools this winter, officials also were preparing a comprehensive recruiting plan that will be implemented more fully next year. That plan includes all the districts legal obligations for recruitment and assigns people and time lines to each task. District statistics show the number of black children who chose an incentive school has increased from 63 last year to 79 this year. The statistics include only those pupils in kindergarten through sixth grade who listed an incentive school as their first choice on the preregistration forms. The numbers do not include children who live in the schools attendance zones. The statistics show that three white children chose Franklin, one white child chose Garland and one white child chose Mitchell Elementary for next year. / A^nsas Democrat W(5azclk FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1994 Panel scores schools lack of pupil pull BY RACHEL O'NEAL Democrat-Gazette Capitol Bureau Little Rocks incentive schools which attracted only five new white children during preregistration last month prompted lawmakers Thursday to question whether those schools are successful. Earlier this week, Little Rock School District officials said they sent out 10,000 letters to white families asking them to consider an incentive school for next year. Few families responded. Little Rock needs to be spanked for not doing all it needs to do, Rep. Irma Hunter Brown of Little Rock told other members of the Desegregation Litigation Oversight Subcommittee. The six incentive schools get about twice as much money as regular schools in the Little Rock district and have special programs designed to improve student achievement. The schools have academic themes such as computer science and career awareness. They also offer day-care programs and summer activities. Brown said that while the district's plans look good on paper, nothing has been accomplished. Brown questioned why the incentive schools are having a hard time attracting whites while magnet schools are more successful. Magnet schools also have academic themes, but the incentive schools get more funding. And magnet schools are seen as more established and have a better racial balance, while the incentive schools started out as predominately black. No one was present at the subcommittee meeting to answer the lawmakers questions. Instead, the group agreed to ask the heads of the incentive and magnet schools to attend a future meeting. Sen. Mike Beebe of Searcy said the incentive-school concept needs to be studied to determine whether it is getting results. He said that if the schools are not successful, the district should consider scrapping the incentive schools and replacing theih with magnet schools. Five incentive schools Have black student enrollment of more than 85 percent. The incentive school with the best racial balance is Rockefeller Elementary School, which is 71 percent black and 29 percent white. Rockefeller has an ear- ly-childhood program that accepts children as young as 6 weeks old.WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1994 Incentive-school recruiting in LR gets bad report card BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer A report by the federal Office of Desegregation Monitoring underscores problems of the Little Rock School District in recruiting white children to its six incentive elementary schools. A 20-page report has been sent to U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright, who in January accused district officials of foot-dragging in recruiting and implementing incentiveschool programs. The findings, conclusions and recommendations on recruiting were prepared by desegregation monitor Ann S. Brown and associate monitor Connie Hickman Tanner. The incentive schools receive extra funding and have special programs designed to improve student achievement and attract whites to the hard-to-desegre- gate buildings in central and east Little Rock. The schools have the lowest pupil-teacher ratios in the district and offer after-school academic and recreational activities. Despite the programs that are supposed to make the schools more attractive than the districts popular magnet schools, enrollment in five of the six schools exceeds 85 percent black. The federal courts have said desegregation of the incentive schools is critical to the success of the districts deseg- regation plan. The newest monitoring report focuses on recruitment done in 1992-93 for this school year and doesnt try to evaluate what is being done now for the 1994-95 school year. District officials have made a more concerted effort to plan and recruit this winter, although during the February preregistration period, only five white students signed up to attend incentive schools next year. The district did not conduct a well-organized, ongoing campaign to recruit white students, the report said. The LRSD approached incentive school recruitment in a sporadic, piecemeal fashion, the report said. It also noted that the other parties in the Pulaski County desegregation lawsuit did little to assist in recruiting although they are obligated to do so by their court- approved desegregation plans. Following are some of the monitors other findings
White enrollment declined in the schools between 1992-93 and 1993-94, with the exception of Garland Incentive Elementary School. The district reserved about 50 percent of the seats in the preschool and kindergarten classes for whites but eventually released some of those seats to black pupils without obtaining federal court approval. The remaining seats went unfilled. The district has a Trickle-up plan for desegregating the incentives. If the preschool and kindergarten classes are racially balanced, the other grades will become bal- anced as the children are promoted from_year to year. Because most of the schools have only one preschool class but two kindergarten classes, they cannot rely totally on recruiting for the preschool program to achieve racial balance in future years. More than half of the white pupils enrolled in the district's preschool program atthe incentive schools attended kindergarten at other schools. The district established a telephone hot line on incentive schools and made presentations to real estate agents about schools but did not make presentations to special-interest, community or church groups as required by the desegregation plan. No parents ever called the hot line. Parent recruiters employed in the district sandwiched incentive-school recnjitment among their other responsibilities. Their job descriptions did not make incentive-school recruiting a priority. The district's biracial citizens committee did not monitor the recruiting efforts as required by the desegregation plan, nor did district officials make any recnjiting reports to the committee. - Arkansas Democrat (gazette TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1994 LRSD turns to public in crisis Schools conduct community feedback sessions on funding woe^ Democrat-Ga2ette Staff Writer districts lier desnite little PPCniifino' 1 Consolidating incentive schools could be an option the Little Rock School District may someday consider to cure part of its deficit spending ills. Superintendent Henry Williams said Monday night. We have no sacred cows, Williams told a dozen listeners at a community feedback ses- sion on the districts planning and budgeting process. District officials previously announced they must cut $7.2 million from the districts budget, to be submitted next month to the federal judge overseeing the Pulaski County desegregation plan. The only sacred cow we do desegregation plan, Williams added, and the desegregation plan is our plan, > Mondays 30-minute feedback session followed six community forums held during the fall semester at various school district campuses. Another feedback session is set for 6 p.m regular board meeting. Williams said he didnt mean he intends to close any school. But at some point in the future wed have to look at what happens at our incentive schools to decide if all should continue in their current formats and locations, he said. Incentive schools were discussed extensively during the community forums, he said. During preregistration in February for the six incentive schools Franklin, Garland Stephens, Rightsell, Mitchell and Rockefeller, all in central or east Little Rock and with high black enrollments only five white students applied. That was the case despite 10,000 recruitment letters mailed to students in preschools, private schools, predominantly white Little Rock schools and the predominantly white Pulaski County Special School District, 'That matched the number of whites preregistering a year earlier despite little recruiting. Incentive schools receive extra funding and offer special programs designed to improve student achievement and attract whites to the hard-to-desegre- gate schools. If incentive school enrollment doesnt improve, Williams said, the district must look at the $8,000 it spends per student at some of the schools, You cant operate a business at a loss and be successful, Williams said. He added that any change in incentive schools must be approved infederal court to remain in compliance with the desegregation plan. At a Jan, 26 hearing, U,S, Dis- trict Judge Susan Webber Wright criticized the district for being slow to recruit students to incentive schools, to implement themes and to hire Spanish teachers. The district reopened'preregistration for the schools last week and will continue it through the summer, i>. SUNDAY. APRIL 10. 1994 ^air ^^3 - T, a a
'? L ipi Aw - * OOc Kj.M / .Xi Study Continued from Page 1A are inner-city schools that receive double the usual funding to pay for programs meant to lure white students while improving black students achievement levels. The incentive-school money goes for after-school and Saturday programs, smaller class sizes, field trips, academic themes, and auxiliary staff including art, physical education, and music teachers, a social worker, theme specialists, nurses and counselors. But the black enrollment in five of the six schools still exceeds 86 percent. And despite the extra money, black student scores on the Stanford AchievementTestgenerally fail far below the national average and below those of white Little Rock students. In only two incentive schools last year did the scores go above average. the second grade at Rightsell Elementary and the fifth grade at Ish Elementary. On average, the gap between test scores for black and white pupils districtwide ranges from 3J points to 39 points. I 'Little Rock has spent as much as $34 million on incentive schools since the 1990-91 school Wfe were not informed in terms of what was going on with the (financial) settlement negotiations. So what happened was that we came up with a plan that was much more e.xpensive than what the settlement group settled on. CHEERS! ~ Jacque Kesler (center), a fourtli-grade teacher at Rightsell Elementary School in Little Rock, cheers along with her class Friday during a pep rally aimed ArkanMs De(nocat-G#iSflS^Stpnen B.' year, according to the Office of Desegregation Monitoring. This yi^ar, the district says it will at lifting the children's spirits for the Stariford Achfev^^.' merit Test they will begin taking Monday. Of the live school's 189 students, 184 are biack. y *- Study points to Little Rock to show desegregations failure BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Oemocral-Gazeite Education Writer , Little Rocks incentive schools illustrate how federal courts nationwide have forced school districts to spend money they cant afford on desegregation programs that dont work, a Harvard University study says. The incentive schools program has largely failed to achieve its goals of attracting white students to the nearly allblack inner-city schools and reducing the gap between white and black students perfor- mances on standardized tests. It also has caused constant financial strain for the Little Rock district, the Harvard Project on School Desegregation concludes. To compound the problem, the court-enforced Little Rock desegregation plan leaves local officials little latitude to modify ineffective programs. In their report, "Still Segregated, Still Unequal, the Harvard researchers said other districts with one-race schools are in similar straits. After looking at schools in Little Rock
Detroit
Prince Georges County, Md.
and Austin, Texas, researchers found no evidence whatsoever" that extra money and programs equalize education for black children or redress harm caused by years of segregation. About 16 percent of Little Rock's black elementary children attend incentive schools: Franklin, Mitchell, Garland, Rockefeller, Stephens and Rightsell elementaries. The six Seb STUDY, Page 10A spend alniosl $0,000 per black child ill the six schools, as coin- I pared to $2,700 per black child j.. in other schools. J, Meanwhile, the Little Rock district faces $7.2 million in cuts to balance its $134 nullion bud- get for next year. The district also faces loss of millions of dollars when state desegregation aid runs out in the next few years. The Harvard researchers de- scribed the Little Rock plan for incentive schools as unchecked and unlikely to succeed. They said the ambitious promises the Little Rock district made in its desegregation plan have not been kept and are bringing more trouble than expected from financial pressures and from U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright, who wants suits. re- . Wright has told the district that some changes can be made in the desegregation plan if district officials prove current pro- state money provided under the settlement fell short of program costs. The study quoted James Jennings, former Little Rock associate superintendent for desegregation who helped develop the educational plans. "We were not informed in terms of what was going on with the (financial) settlement negotiations," Jennings said. So what happened was that we came up with a plan that was much more expensive than what the settlement group settled on. Former Superintendent Ruth Steele is quoted as saying the district simply cannot afford its plan. The Little Rock district gets $73 million in state aid for de- Horace Smith, an associate monitor in the federal Office of Desegregation, said the Little Rock plan fostered measure- ment according to whether programs were implemented, not by whether they achieved suits. re- B Stanford Achievement Test scores segregation over 10 years, plus access to a $20 million loan. The district doesnt have to repay the loan if black test scores improved by the year 2000. But the Harvard resfearchers said improving test scores did are not appear to be a priority in the district. They also noted that the Little Rock district already has spent about $55 million of the state aid and $12 million of the loan with little progress. We really got caught up In just meeting deadlines, Smith said. Evaluation was more on 'Did you do it? as opposed to Was it successful?' The study does not advocate an end to all extra money and special programs but says that simply adding money and programs at one-race schools will not desegregate schools or improve student performance. The study blames school districts and courts for failing to plan and implement effective programs tied to specific goals for educating black children Few of the programs get evaluated. Still fewer are changed by the districts or the courts, even if they dont work. The study recommended that the courts should identify the needs of black children, use experts to help formulate remedies and should not hesitate to discontinue ineffective programs, despite community resistance to reform. Progress of one grade level of black incentive school students in Little Rock: 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 I Whiles Blacks DISTRICTWIDE 1sl grade 2nd grade ...1992.........1993 64 31 72 33 1992-1 si grade 1993-2nd grade Franklin Garland -.i. I I "Ish II J i JI - James Jennings grams arent working. But the report said Wright can approve only limited modifications. The Harvard study places much of the blame for this on U.S. Supreme Court decisions that date back to the Milliken vs. Bradley desegregation case in Detroit. In a 1974 ruling in that case, the high court limited desegregation plans that required students to cross district boundaries. leaving few options for urban districts faced with white flight. In a second ruling in the case, in 1977, it authorized lower federal courts to order states to help pay for desegregation plans. As a result, Detroit, which had few white students to integrate its schools, put -stale money and programs into the predominantly black schools to improve them. Since then, courts across the country increasingly have approved that approach, with increased state funding, the Harvard study said. When the predominantly black Little Rock district sued in 1982 for consolidation of the three Pulaski County districts as a way to end segregated schools, U.S. District Judge Henry Woods ordered the merger. But that decision was overturned by the Sth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at St. Louis. The districts and the state eventually reached a financial settlement and negotiated desegregation plans along the lines of the Milliken ruling. That settlement won appeals court approval. Tlie Harvard study noted that desegregation prograi for the Little Rock area were designed without regard to cost. As a result, the additional inis Mitchell Rightsell Rockefeller Slephens.. district students have taken the Stanford test for only fhfl r. yoars, students look another standardized test the Metropolitan Achievement test. onud.uueu lesi, *Ish closed in 1993-94. Black White ' Percent black Source: Office of C mceritlpfraehlrtl gHrellhieit^^ 88-89 1,766 207 90 89-90 1,643 162 90 Desegregalion Monitoring 90-91 1,455 189 87 91-92 1,962 253 88 92-93 93-94 1,690 1,261 220 87 155 87 3TEV6 SCALLION / Mt. Drnocnl-OazM9Arkansas Democrat azctte WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1994 After 37 years, whats changed? e really didnt need that study by those Harvard folks to tell us that the court-ordered incentive w schools in Little Rocks desegregation plan arent working. Just a few short weeks earlier, it was spread across the pages of the Democrat-Gazette that only six white students had signed up for the incentive schools. For the uneducated, incentive schools are schools that are traditionally black. The goal is to attract enough white students to make the school racially balanced. The schools had caught my attention a couple of months ago, when a friend with a child in an area school, known by lay folks as neighborhood schools, told me that Martin Luther King Elementary, the brand-spanking-new provisional m^- net school, was going to take the entire student body on a district-paid spring break trip to Atlanta to study all things there connected to the schools namesake. A magnet school is an inter-district school that begs, borrows and steals to be racially balanced. It has a theme and gets extra money. There were only supposed to be the original six from some court order a few years ago
no additions. But U.S. District Judge Susan Webber i Wright added King provisjonally last : summer. If you arent confused yet, you are under the illusion of control. Well, it turned out that Principal Sadie Mitchell had originally planned on the Atlanta pilgrimage but had instead opted for the sixth-graders to take a day trip to Memphis on April 29. Although the students will pay their admission to the Civil Rights Museum and buy their own lunches, the district will spend $1,000 on transportation. Upon learning of this $1,000 district Pam Strickland expenditure, my friend with the child in the neighborhood school almost lost all decorum. Were paying for jump ropes out of our own pockets, she screamed. Now, mind you her child is at Pulaski Heights Elementary where the PTA is probably better heeled than any in the city, but it seems that for many parents its not so much the money as it is the principle of the matter. Back to the incentive schools. They are given double funding in order to well, I wasnt given a satisfactory explanation as to why they are given twice as much money as the other schools in the district. But the two people I would expect to know the most about them both told me, You know, they get double funding. Before I could absorb the concept of six schools in the district receiving twice as much money per student as the other schools, both experts had backed out of that shorthand explanation. The longer explanation each person had attempted to give me reminded me of a combination of statistics class and property law, both very unpleasant experiences that I really didnt want to repeat, so I cut short the conversations about the funding. The federal budget is more easily understood. Those two very informed people were Jeanette Wagner, the Little Rock School Districts communications manager, and Cynthia Howell, senior education reporter for this newspaper. Howell and I have been friends almost since I set foot in Arkansas a little over 10 years ago. She was already covering the school district and anticipated she would be doing so as long as the desegregation suit, filed in November 1982, was ongoing, I dont think she realized it would be a life-long job. In the last few weeks, as I tried to gather information about Little Rock school funding, I gained a new level of admiration for her and all the stuff she carries around in her head. (She walked into the newsroom as I was doing a rewrite. One question produced reams of information. They need a glossary, she said, obviously aware of my confusion.) I first met Wagner last fall when I interviewed to be her assistant. I was impressed, liked her a lot. A personable woman, obviously overworked. When I began trying to gather information on this funding mess, I looked forward to working with her, but Wagner tested my patience. She has a full-time assistant now. Nonetheless, it took four days to have a conversation of any substance. I do know that the Memphis trip is being paid for out of district start-up funds for King, but Ive never been told how much was in the start-up fund. Its been 37 years since the Central High crisis. It seems that nothings any better between the races than it was, and its all gotten so much more complicated. Maybe its time to do something drastic. How about everybody has neighborhood schools and every school is funded the same? Pam Strickland's column appears every Wednesday.Aikansas Williams says incentive curriculum too full Urges streamlining to emphasize basics at the 6 LR schools BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer The curriculum in Little Rocks double-funded incentive schools needs to be streamlined to emphasize basic academic subjects, Superintendent Henry Williams said Friday in federal court. Testifying in the school desegregation lawsuit for the first time since becoming superintendent in October 1993, Williams said the curriculum at the six predominantly black schools is too full and that the focus should be on reading, math, social studies and science. We are looking at how we do business in the incentive schools, he said. We need to restructure the academic program to emphasize what is important. We do children a dis-- service by giving them too much. Williams is only the latest in a long line of people to express concerns about the incentive school program, which includes small class sizes, academic themes, extra staff and afterschool academic and recreational programs. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright and the federal Office of Desegregation Monitoring have criticized the districts lack of progress in racially balancing the schools enrollment and in improving achievement levels. One of the primary concerns has been the districts failure to fully implement all the programs promised in its desegregation plan. In addition to the judges concerns, a team of researchers from Harvard University said in a recent study they found no evidence that spending extra money on special programs in one- race, minority schools led to improved student achievement. The study focused on four U.S, city school districts, including Little Rock. Reaffirming comments she made at a hearing in February, Wright again said Friday she is beginning to doubt the incentive school program is workable as written. By the spring of 1995, she said, she will likely seek modifications to the incentive school plan. She said she believes there must be ways to establish desegregated, equitable and constitutional schools in central and east Little Rock. She pointed to the success of the new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School as an example of how black and white families will attend an inner- city school. The school is attractive to both races, at least in part, because of its new building, Wright said. The districts desegregation plan obligates the district to operate the incentive schools for six years, but there is a dispute about when the six years started and when they will end. Wright said the district appears to be making a greater effort to implement the incentive school programs as described in the districts court-approved plan, but it may be too little, too late. But even on Friday, Wright questioned why the district is proposing to phase in technology themes at the incentive schools. She said the themes should have been in place as early, as 1991. The issue of the incentive school program was raised when John Walker, an attorney for the black Joshua intervenors in the school case, questioned how the district could earmark $377,000 for new technology and Spanish teachers at the schools next year without adding to thei districts expenses or cutting other programs at the schools. : Williams said that in some cases the districts spending ini incentive schools is triple the
amount of money per child in regular schools. In a related matter, Williams , said Friday he had some con-'j cems about the physical condi- j tions of the Stephens and Gar- land Incentive School buildings. While he did not propose immediately closing the buildings, he questioned their attractiveness to parents. He noted that the district has some long-standing plans to replace Stephens. He said Garland, a two-story building, has restrooms only on the first floor. The purpose of the hearing Friday was to review the districts preliminary 1994-95 budget, which has a $7.1 million deficit.08/10/94 11:30 501 324 2032 L R School Dist ODM 001/003 CZQK LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 FAX (501) 324-2032 DATE : TO: IO FROM: SENDER'S PHONEp SUBJECT: 2^^' ____________ SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Number of Pages (include Speed Dial cover page Fax Phone Number ^C>\08/10/94 11:31 Q501 324 2032 L R School Dlst ODM @002/003 Little Rock School District NEWS RELEASE August 10,1994 For more information: Dina Teague, 324-2020 Five incentive schools in the Little Rock School District wiU benefit from a clean up effort by the Girl Scout Trash Busters, Saturday, August 13, from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Over 275 people are expected to attend. The clean up will begin at 8:00 a.m on the grounds of Franklin Communications and Technology Elementary School, Garland Multi-Media Technology and Educational Research Elementary School, Mitchell Creative Dramatics Elementary School, Rightsell Career Awareness and Mass Media Elementary School, and Rockefeller Computer Science/Early Childhood Magnet Elementary School. At 10:30 a.m. all participants will meet at the Rockefeller School for activities including games, storytelling and action songs. (more)08/10/94 11:31 Q501 324 2032 L R School Dlst ODM [g] 003/003 Incentive School Clean Up August 10,1994 Page two of two The purpose of the clean up is to bring the community together to work for cleaner schools. "We're so pleased that the Girl Scouts are putting their community spirit to work to help us get ready for the new school year," said Estelle Matthis, deputy superintendent. "This kind of community involvement is a big part of keeping our World Class Schools' looking their best." The Chipato Valley and Pocahontas Service Units of the Ouachita Girl Scout Council are sponsors of the event. ###I Arkansas Democrat'^(J^azctte [ SATURDAY, JANUARY 28. 1995 Incentive schools slate open houses Preregistration BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer : The Little Rock School District will host open houses Thursday .in all incentive and interdistrict elementary' schools in preparation for the 1995-96 preregistra- tion period, which begins Feb. 6. The open houses are 5:30 until 7 p.m. They were originally set for last Monday but were canceled because of a snowstorm. Parents and guardians of current and prospective Little Rock students are encouraged to visit with teachers and administrators about educational opportunities at each school. Incentive and interdistrict schools are open to students in all three Pulaski Coun- for LRSD students starts Feb. 6 ty school districts. The incentive schools names include a description of the schools theme
Franklin Communications and Technology Elementary School. Garland Multi-Media Technology and Educational Research Ele- academic mentary School, Mitchell Cre- Dramatics Elementary alive School. Rightsell Career Awareness and Mass-Media Elementary School and Rockefeller Computer Science Elementary School. Little Rocks schools include Dr. interdistrict Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet Elementary School, where the academic theme is high-intensity learning
Romine Interdistrict Elementary School. where the theme is computer science and basic skills
and Washington Magnet Elementary School, where the theme includes basic skills, math and science. The district also is hosting open houses
From 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. Monday at each of the 23 area elementary schools. From 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday in the district's area junior and senior high schools. Faculty will be at the schools to greet parents. At Southwest Junior High, the student choir and band will perform, and tours of the school will be offered to visitors.ArkaxLsas Democrat 'gg(gazcttc TUESDAY, APRIL 11. 1995 Independent panel suggested as way to help incentive schools BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Improving Little Rocks five double-funded incentive schools might involve shifting oversight from school district officials to an independent committee, the federal judge in the Pulaski County desegregation case said Monday. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright took no action on the suggestion, made Monday by attorney John Walker in a hearing on the districts proposed 1995-96 budget. But she referred to the idea a couple of times, saying it intrigued her. She urged all the parties in the case to weigh the idea of an arrangement similar to the Magnet Review Committees oversight of Little Rocks magnet schools. The incentive schools are a very important part of the desegregation plan, Wright said. This court has stated time and again that these schools have not been well-managed. Thats either because the district is unable or unwilling to do it. She said she would have difficulty releasing the Little Rock district from court supervision of the desegregation plan when you really havent given it your best shot when it wasnt implemented the way you said it would be implemented. Im not saying its in bad faith
it just hasnt been done well. The district oversees the five incentive elementary schools, which get extra money for programs to increase black student achievement and attract white pupils to the hard-to-desegre- gate schools. ^The incentive schools are a very important part of the desegregation plan. This court has stated time and again that these schools have not been well-managed. Thats either because the district is unable or unwilling to do it U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright Only one of the schools has achieved a significant degree of racial balance, and the achievement rates are mixed. The Magnet Review Committee oversees the general operation of the six original magnet schools in Little Rock. The district manages those schools day-to-day operations but must submit changes in budget, staff and programs to the committee for approval. The committee, which meets about twice a month, consists of representatives of all three Pulaski County districts, the Joshua intervenors in the desegregation case and the state Department of Education. The discussion on the incentive schools came up in a review of proposed budget cuts for the Little Rock district. The district initially proposed eliminating 45 positions and $608,000 in staff at the incentive schools. After administrators met with staffing committees at each school, the proposed cuts were revised to eliminate 11 positions and $211,000. Walker, attorney for the black families who intervened in the lawsuit, questioned three incentive school principals about their staffs and the programs at their schools. He told Wright the incentive schools have inexperienced staffs and said the district has committed the schools to failure. Karen Buchanan, principal at Garland Incentive, testified that 10 out of 14 classroom teachers had less than three years of experience. Buchanan also said Gar- , lands academic theme hasnt I been fully implemented and that she believed a martial arts course at the school was a waste of district money. She said there was evidence a school custodian and teachers had paddled students at the school before she arrived there in January. Corporal punishment is a violation of district policy.SATURDAY, AUGUST 12.1995 ---- In,. Judge withholds blessing on LRSD cuts BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Whatyou are asking the trations, Wright said. What you trict agreed to the Spanish pro- ! gram when the plan was written 1 A federal judge said Friday court tO do is approve a she wont approve Little Rock , , , . School District plans to cut staff budget that in essence are asking the court to do is approve a budget that in essence will violate the plan require- if the program wasnt feasible. John Walker, an attorney for ments. You have not modified the the black children who interand the elementary Spanish pro- violate the plan gram at the five incentive plan. vened in the desegregation law-- schools, but she probably wont stop the cuts, either. requirements. You have not modified the plan. That is what you are asking suit, questioned why the lanthe court to do, and I will not do guage program failed at the in- U.S. District Judge Susan Web- , ber Wright said the proposed lJ.!s. LHStriCt Juage that. You cannot just budget centive schools but is successfully willy-nilly while ignoring the plan. ! 4 attracting families to Gibbs International Studies Magnet Elemen- ' tary. He blamed it on changing But Wright later compliment- . _ _ ed the district for efforts to follow principals and shifting staffs at cuts were further evidence that Susan Webber Wright district is managing its incentive ____________________----------- ------------------------------------- .... , , - _
_ ___ __the modification process more the incentive schools and the dis- extra funding to make the schools old school desegregation lawsuit, pro- tricts lack of effort to make it ____ She made the comments at a posals to alter the desegregation successful. daylong hearing on the districts plan. The district started circu- Parker said the Gibbs program . -. . . would not comply with the requirements for the incentive schools. At that school, children choose between Spanish, French and German. While parts of the desegrega- school program poorly, despite attractive to black and white students. Of the five elementaries, she the modification process more closely on a different set of proplan. circu1995- 96 budget. She oversees the lating those proposals among the ____ __________________ budget as part of an effort to parties in the case in March. ETementary'seemed successfully monitor the districts compliance They have not yet been sent to desegregated. with its desegregation plan. the judge. If we scrap the Spanish pro- Eliminating Spanish and some Gene Parker, the districts su- gram, how will we desegregate staff would mean that the district pervisor for foreign language, . _ _ the incentive schools the judge had made significant changes in told the judge he tried to comply tion plan are working well, asked What will we do to make the desegregation plan without with requirements that Spanish Wright said, the incentive school the schools attractive You said going through the approved be taught at the five schools. plan was ill-conceived and not But a lack of qualified elemen- working, at least partly because said, only Rockefeller Incentive in your plan that the Spanish was process for modifying the plan, necessary to desegregate the Wright said. The staff cuts, totalschools. ing $211,000. will affect six in- But Wright also pointed out structional aides and five other forts, he said. And the district that four of the five schools had counselors and music, art and had difficulty adding Spanish to be seeking ideas for modifying disproportionately high black en- physical education teachers. the schools already-crowded cur- the incentive schools during a se- , rollments even with the Spanish The modification process calls riculum. ries of hearings that will begin " ...................................................... Parker said the program envi- Aug. 30. tary Spanish teachers, despite the district isnt able or willing to national searches, stymied his ef- implement it correctly. riculum. program and staff. She said the for all parties in the desegrega- reductions would She told the parties she will 6n the subject of incentive probably tion case to discuss all proposed sioned in the 1989 desegregation " ......................... plan was outdated and inappro- school staffing, district officials would have no effect on racial changes before taking them to balance. Wright presides in the 12-year- the judge. You can understand my frus- priate for young children. told the judge the same programs The judge asked why the dis- could be provided with less staff.ZB TUESDAY, JUNE 4,1996 Pulaski Arkansas Democrar "ST (5az^ 1 Parents want overseer to act on incentive schools behalf BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Supervision of the Little Rock School Districts five incentive elementary schools should be turned over to an independent director, an attorney for black -.parents said in documents filed ,dn federal court, John Walker cited 18 areas where he believes the district has .failed to comply with desegrega- j.tion plan provisions regarding the inner-city incentive schools. The schools get extra money .ifor special programs to attract white pupils and improve the achievement levels of black stu- T< dents. Most of the schools remain racially segregated, which Walk- ,-,er blames on grossly inadequate , implementation of the plan, e In a motion filed late Friday, Walker asked U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright to create the position of incentive schools director to ensure the schools are operated as envisioned in the districts plan. 1989 desegregation Walkers complaints about the schools and the request for a director follow an announcement last month by Little Rock Superintendent Henry Williams that the district complies with 96 percent of its more than 1,700 specific desegregation obligations. After the announcement, the district filed briefs asking Wright to release the district from court supervision and return full control of the district to the school board. Walkers request for a director taries. Only Rockefeller has suc- also comes at a time when Wright cessfully attracted a large per- has asked the parties in the lawsuit to propose changes in the desegregation plan, particularly in the incentive schools. Wright has said in the past that she believes the incentive schools arent working. But, she said, she was uncertain whether the problems come from poor implementation or a flawed concept. The incentive school portion of the court-approved settlement plan cannot be deemed a failure, Walker said in his motion. Its implementation in a meaningful manner has never been attempted. ITie incentive schools are Garland, Franklin, Mitchell, Rightsell and Rockefeller elemen- centage of white students and has had the same principal for more than five years. Most of the incentive schools lack experienced and stable faculties, Walker said. They also are deficient in building upkeep, summer and weekend programs, field trips, science education, foreign language programs, school themes, student record-keeping, and parental involvement. The Office of Desegregation Monitoring is scheduled to complete its fifth annual report on the incentive schools by the end of this month. In last years report, the monitors said their visits to the incentive schools were discouraging because of the number problems and deficiencies they saw that were avoidable and correctable. Walker argued in the court documents that Wright is obligated by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to make sure the incentive schools are properly operated. In 1990. the appeals court directed the school district to scrupulously adhere to its plan regarding incentive schools. The court further directed Wright to take appropriate action if the parties in the lawsuit dont live up to their commitments. The proposed director of incentive schools should be a well- qualified educator who would work independently of district officials, Walker said. District employees should be ordered to work with the director and provide the director with an office. The director should be select- < ed by the federal Office of Deseg- regation Monitoring in consultation with Walker and his clients. Walker said. The district should pay the directors salary at a rate approved by the judge. The judge would have the authority to eliminate the position once it is no longer needed, he said. The idea of an independent overseer for the incentive schools is not new. Walker suggested an oversight committee during- a court hearing in April 1995. Wright said at the time that the idea intrigued her and she asked the parties to consider it Williams vehemently opposed the idea, saying it would dilute the authority of the Little Rock school board and superintendent.^^i'cscgregalion effort heads nofwOBt-Oazotto Educniloti WtHor I yuRansasDeniotrdl __________________10, 1996 into crucial exams h?'n.r'" '<P''''cblg the Issues 111 dilferenl-------- sxtSs'''* -w SSBSsB 1 '>'ip''5 Sa' srws.SSsj ''* .st. I'ouls. serves to lie mio Aner 13 . vasutim \^^l era! school (Jescgregatii U.. p 'vavgivgtiuon coi.ii.lies tons. vened" h? 'h' 1^ fi'ed o Properly --------'-feuv uuvifinmR. nr w^b F'"""'I matter ot weeks or months. I Some participants in the plex case liave been worxing rcvcnshly lately to move the casf "'cntual end relea.se rJ.lei'ni''ecades ledeial court supervision But opposing parties In the coni- Schools incentive schools get extra money for programs designed to ZsCatSis SBss j''.bari inoiith. Little Rock School plris'" Uhei'r' 'Sm''c'?-lKr ooverVe^ 2^^E^Sba{'fi!ettl ''wSK l../i.L'.r','5 filai s"n!^df:!,5^?:p See SCHOOLS, Page tOA W who has pr^shi^ I ?1 u/C? lIlB i f a inonitoriiig the districts of Continued from Page 1A -J country and deserves to be released from court nvnt-eirl<* oversight. Schoo district olllclal.s filed the iiiotlon despite encoiirage- *^1'".' Wi tfjlit to start with an iiilcriiiediate o.iti U.I.V4 wiiiuii sue wilt set a hearing dale on the issue A court order could follow that Meanwhile. John Walker, attor- ror the Joshun Intervenors ! 'sl week asking .5'^?''!? " position for an WIW Joshua inte
^ , d?cS?'u?..'='Sies in other _what she believe.s ''as pointed out those are probleiiKs in I llll loouieil.., t Hurt nl s existing plan, in- ' incentive schools and vtiuli?!' ^'a'ines for indi } . director is needed because all districts in an effort to cover """ oo.sts, but the state rin'l7r"H "' """ty dis- tri^ s full cost, Jones said. nients alone. The formula penalizes his dis- judge must act iflhe parties dont s=F: Wright said Tlmrfday durPnTa about win i' Xi's"" to a lesser degree^h'a*^ SSll SS^ glBle something about the Little Rock '. An^ n County districts. ----------------------------------------- Sclinni . . Ann Brown, the federal desee regahon monitor, called the the ' ponding motion the most signifi- cant of those pending before the spt Jodge this year because it has tlie vu uie motion tor an incentive kX= htate of Ar- school overseer. But, Wright told "'o lawsuit school district olficiais t^ce big challenge in fighting the i- centive schools proposal. That part of the plan is ex- ^aTh" l'hp"dT'!':l '^"gbt said. And, the distnct has not done a good job of implementing it for hard, maybe you just didnt do it ^,Z.=^!i:'''T/'ai!ure'toy^ School District's Mure to in^ ment the plan," she said. "We now have a motion before the court... And I must rule on it " 00^? bas been on the motion for - ~ as a a in- Sam Jones, an attorney for the Pula.slti County Special lltf>V*.aabA II r.y'r*' -outily Special School Oistrict, said last week that he .... ou.u weeK mat he ex- motion will kxv . ,''*Hv iiiuiio be scheduled for later this s...s.Mutcu iur laier ihi.$ vear perhaps in October or November. i ruled in favor of the districts on tlie issue as did the 8tli Circuit Court of Appeals. But attorneys for the districts are a.sking the 8th Circuit to reconsider the workers compensation issue because they believe I he court misinterjireted the tiement. They believe the tricts are actually entitled more funding than what the court awarded them. ve set- dis- to ''0 said. which is contrary to the 1989 er districts. The settlemZr aTso rnn^'*^'^ ' continue to IV Jones is asking Wright to enforce the terms of the ? 'P"' against the state The Lit Ie Rock and North Little Rock districts have joined with the county district in the motion iri lb 'be second time the districts have sued the state to force the settlement. Two years ago tlie districts accused tlie state of shorting them in funding work en- ers compensation costs. Wright Irii^ r formula for dis- iVl^sc!." Arkansas - --------------- agieeu 10 00 11 " n , . "I districts does hot com- As she has done repeatX'for ^001^,'V dle- : 'be judge cabled laski^ Cnb^'^'cen the Pu- .Thursday for the Little Rock dis sfaiJ 5''"'^' .districts and the .'{f'ct.to negotiate with other pa?- led*taR?p!?' settlement
to change par of a nartvTn * as Jhe plan that don't work 000^30? ForX"e lawsuit. In return Phanges are approved bv he?, the mv Fi m m ^^te agreed to d strict would be required to im afd in i 'un m desegregation plement them and comply with in 1995^!*^^^*?'''''- ?eMse ? b'" '^'1 new cS. o.'?:^?bers adopted a ' I. icom court supervision. D.. I 00 1 But your distnct agreed to do it" Uhe donVworrOnce Phonrrno __ . . '-V required to im- ii,~ c.......... 'J comply with *'"6 to win iir I J t----- *viaiuii. Wright has pushed for modifi- bringing in three na tional experts to testify about de- laski County districts Iori* 4, rti&eiueme led to the dismissal of the state aid to the three districts^ requires all districts to tMcher retirement benefits to pay reiirement benefits and '".sui'ance. The state i.s increasing its fumfingin( Arkansas Democrat gazette \ TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1996 Federal monitors raise 'Schools Continued from Page IB questions in their report bn LR incentive schools BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ** Oemocrert-Gazstto Education Writer When Dr. Don Roberts takes over next month as interim superintendent of the Little Rock School DistricL one key issue awaiting his attention will be the fate of the districts five incentive elementary schools. In a new report the federal Office of Desegregation Monitoring is the latest group this year to raise questions about the controversial schools, which get extra money for special programs. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright has said she doesnt believe the incentive schools are working to promote desegregation. Last month, civil rights attorney John Walker said the schools were never properly implemented. He asked Wright to remove control of the schools from the district and place them under the direction of an independent overseer. i - Also, at least two citizens groups have said in recent weeks that changes in the incentive schools are in order. .u In their report to WrighL the federal desegregation monitors urged school district officials to determine whether their incentive school efforts are producing reasonable results. We repeatedly hear that the incentive schools are not working, and indeed they have fallen far short of the expectations set for them, the monitors said in the 93-page report. I Part of the problem is that district officials dont evaluate their programs to determine whether they are really helping the district meet its desegregation goals, the monitors added. Instead, they confuse busy-ness with getting results. The LRSD must come to terms with whether the efforts ex- ' pended in the incentive schools have created results that are a reasonable return on the invest- i ment, or have merely created activities with a costly price tag, the monitors said. The monitors report is the fifth annual report on the five schools, which get extra money for programs designed to improve black childrens achievement levels and attract white pupils to the hard-to-desegregate buildings in east and central Little Rock. The five schools are Garland, Franklin, Rockefeller, Rightsell and Mitchell elementaries. At four of the five, black enrollment exceeds 90 percent Rockefellers enrollment is about 64 percent black and 36 percent white, counting a preschool program open to children from 6 weeks through 4 years old. The monitors listed 64 recom- See SCHOOLS, Page 8B mendations for improvements in ---------------- the incentive schools. The bulk of were criticized as well. The dis- the recommendations are repeat- trict employed only about half of the almost two dozen recruitment ed from earlier reports, but others are new. They cover such issues as parent involvement building repair needs, under-enrollment and the number of student disciplinary no money was specifically earsanctions levied last year. marked in 199^96 for incentive The monitors complimented school recruiting, although a the instructional program in the modest $34,000 was budg^ed five schools, calling it above av- for overall district publicity. The erage " They also said they were lack of money prevented the dis- gratified to see the coordination trict from updating incentive and vigor with which the five school brochures and videos or schools have implemented their paying for advertising on bill- academic themes. Poor imple- boards and bus benches, mentation of the themes was a The performance of the dis- criticism of the schools in earlier tricts Biracial Advisory Commit- years tee continued to be abysmal, the But in other areas, the moni- monitors said. Membership dis- erage." They also said they were mentation of the themes was a But in other areas, the moni- tors found poor or spotty compliance with the incentive school re- , - quirements in the desegregation tendance was poor and the com- plan mittee did not fulfill its obligation For example, none of the in- to regularly monitor the incentive centive schools offers Spanish in- schools, the report said. For example, none of the instruction during the regular school day, even though the desegregation plan requires it. District efforts to recruit white families to the incentive schools i strategies listed in the desegregation plan. The monitors also found that proportionately represented certain parts of the city, meeting at-Arkansas Democrat W'Ofjazelle 1HURSDAY, AUGUST 15,1996 LRSD argues courts role in plan ended Ignore intervenors, attorneys urge judge BY CYN IHIA HOWELL Dcinoctal-Gazello Hdiicalion Writer The Litlle Hock Sclioel Dislriets (lescgii'hiilioii plan has expired, leaving the I'ederal cinn ts unable to appoint an incentive school diiee- lor or order the liistrict to perforin desegregation obligations, attorneys for the district say. In the latest in a lluriy of Pulaski County school desegregation legal briefs this sununer, attorneys for the Little Kock district asked U.S. District .ludge Susan Webber. Wright to deny requests by civil ' rights attorney .lohn Walker, who is. challenging the district's conipli-' auee with its desegregation plan. Walker represents black families in the ISyear-old lawsuit lie accused the district earlier this year of violating large sections of its desegregation plan and the inter-' district plan that involve.s all three Pulaski County districts. Walker said the judge should deal more harshly with the Little Rock district, lie asked her to ere- . ale the position of independent director of Little Rock'.s live incentive elementary schools. He also asked . the judge to order the district to im- ' pleinent more than 25(1 recommendations issued liy the federal OHice of Desegregation Monitoring in the last four years. .
Chris Heller and Clay Fendley, attorneys for the Little Rock dis- , trict, have argued that the districts ' desegregation plan was supposed to last six years. That jieriod expired at the end of tlie 191)5-96 school year, they said. .Since the term of the plains has expired, the court no longer h.y jii-' risdiction based on tlie plans," the attorneys wrote. "Accordingly , this con It. has no jurisdiction to order the relief sought by" the black parents known as the .loshua inteivenoi-s.' Wriglit lias not yet ruled on Little Rock's motion to end the desegregation case based on the six-year argument or on the district's contention that it has complied with virtually all paiTs of the plans. Heller and Fendley saitl that even if Walker's motion was timely, it should still be denied because Walker failed to prove that the district has not complied with its plans. Walker cited rindings by the 01- llce of Desegregation Monihiring, , which is specifically charged with monitoriiig district compliance . witli its plan. Heller and Fendley said that the monitors' fniding-s and reconunen-' dations are advisoiy and not bind- . ing. Many of the recomniendalions are unrelated to the district's oblig-. atioirs under tlie plans and do not necessarily reflect noncompliance, , they said. Walker filed his motions seeking the incentive school director and eiiforceinent of the monitor's rec-, oninicndation.s before he declared a two year moratorium last nioiith on filing new complaints against the district.' Arkansas Democrat'^ (gazette THURSDAY. JULY 10, 1997 / Think tank paper: Strong hand from court due in LR schools I C BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANS.\S DEMOCRATCAZETTE thing, Riggs said. The board is doing something. Were following A federal judge should appoint the recommendation of the super- a chief operating officer to the Lit- , intendenL We are going through tie Rock School District to over- " ' haul its unworkable desegregation plan, the authors of a new Arkansas Policy Foundation publication say. Bob Morgan, a former associate monitor in the federal Office of Desegregation Monitoring, is the the process to change the plan, long and arduous as the process may be. i Riggs predicted that by late summer the Little Rock district will approach the other school districts in the county and parent in- than 60 percent black. The plan further called for the incentive elementary schools to get e.xtra money for programs that would raise the achievement levels of black pupils and attract whites. The double funding has proven ineffective in improvini 12 5 achievement in the incentive schools and promoting desegregation, Morgan wrote. i Additionally, the incentive schools have created inequities - - tervenors with proposals for revis- author of the analysis entitled, A ing the dese^egation plan. Earlier Catch-^ and More: Little Rocks this year, eight work teams were among black students, he* said Incentive Schools. The paper is appointed by Superintendent Don Only 15 percent of the district's accompanied by an afterword Roberts to determine how the op- black elementary school children written by Michael Watson, presi- eration of the district and its edu- dent of the Arkansas Policy Foun- cational dation, a conservative think-tank. were enrolled in the five existing program might be incentive schools in 1995-96. The foundation publication got tions are expected to form the ba- mixed reviews from the president ' " strengthened. The recommenda- Eighty-five percent of the black of the School Board and from the segregation plan, federal desegregation monitor ' -------- VW .u.m wiv iwc- students, 6,6^, were in other ele- sis for proposed changes in the de- mentary schools, some of the which did not have the same re- c 1. < ) f ) 1 I E i i c 1 t i who is Morgans former boss. A court-appointed chief operating officer could force changes in the districts operation and re- the districts desegregation plan. ' place the desegregation plan with ' : an education plan that focuses on Watson said in the afterword sources as the incentive schools that he, like Morgan, believes the even though the pupils might be district is in crisis and that a judge just as disadvantaged or more so. can intervene ifthere is a defect in ' ' ' Morgan also argued that taxpayer money is wasted on under-en- However, Watson said he and rolled, excessively st^ed incen- j . - some Arkansas Policy Foundation tive schools. student achievement Morgan said, legal experts doubt that U.S. Dis- The parties m the 14-year-old Pu- trict Judge Susan Webber Wright, Ann Brown, federal desegrega- , , . ,---------/., b- ..iiftiiu, tion monitor, said she was disap- lasta County desegregation lawsiut, who is presiding in the lawsuit, pointed with inaccuracies and dis- including the Little Rock district will act unless there is a demon- tortions in the publication, espe- and the black parents who are in- stration of political and civic will daily in regard to her offices role tervenors in the case, have taken no by the people, action. Being involved in court for " so many years has created a paranoid mentality that stifles innovation in the district, Morgan said. . . in reserving seats for white chii- Watson said Little Rock is more dren at the incentive schools and John Riggs IV, Little Rock ately needed initiative.' School Board president, said he than ready, but the School Board in the way Morgan used informa- cannot seem to muster the wis- tion on the numbers of poor chil- dom or courage to lead a desper- JI dren served in each school. Brown said the criticisms of the Morgan particularly criticized incentive schools consistently agreed that parts of the desegrega- incentive schools, calling them the omitted references to Rockefeller tion plan may be unworkable, or at crux ofthe desegregation plan and Incentive Elementary School Jeast outdated, and that some pro- particularly unworkable and which has been able to attract a grams may not make the best use wasteful. desegregated enrollment. of resources. He even agreed that Incentive schools were de- She said she also disagreed ,the School Board avoided some signed to accommodate a large with Morgans contention that a controversial decisions and court number of black students to make desegregation plan is separate fights in the past. it possible for other elementary from an education plan > 1 But they re not exactly right in schools in the . city to achieve a Saying the board isnt doing any- You cant bisect the two, she racial composition of no more said. sqnouii- I
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