AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2007 > February > 21
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
AJC’s Education Team: Who Does What?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just wanted to update y’all on our current staff as we’ve had some changes in the past year. If you don’t see anyone covering your school system, feel free to e-mail me with any news tips.
Keith Graham, education editor, 404-526-5872, kgraham@ajc.com NOTE: Keith is currently on loan to another team. Please contact Assistant Editor Fran Jeffries until further notice.
Fran Jeffries, assistant education editor, 404-526-5384, fjeffries@ajc.com
Laura Diamond, Gwinnett County schools reporter, 770-263-3892, ldiamond@ajc.com
Bridget Gutierrez, K-12 issues and trends reporter, 404-526-7257, bgutierrez@ajc.com
Andrea Jones, higher education reporter, 404-526-7217, ajones@ajc.com
Chris Reinolds, Cherokee County schools reporter, 770-326-8958, creinolds@ajc.com
Donna Soper, Fayette County schools reporter, 770-716-8509, dsoper@ajc.com
Diane Stepp, Cobb County and Marietta city schools reporter, 770-509-4091, dstepp@ajc.com
Kristina Torres, DeKalb County and Decatur city schools reporter, 404-526-7734, ktorres@ajc.com
Heather Vogell, Clayton and Henry counties schools reporter, 770-282-8304, hvogell@ajc.com NOTE: Heather is currently on assignment with another team. Please send information to Assistant Editor Fran Jeffries.
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Vouchers: At What Cost?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A Georgia House of Representatives subcommittee will continue to hear testimony this afternoon on two bills that would give state-funded scholarships (or vouchers) to students with disabilities who want to leave their current public schools.
According to my colleague, Kevin Duffy, who has been covering the hearings, critics cut down the proposals in the first House meeting on the legislation.
Of course, the merits of the plan have been debated in the pages of the AJC and on this blog before. But some interesting arguments surfaced in the subcommittee, including concern that students who no longer need special services — say, a first-grader who overcomes a stuttering problem — could remain in the program until they graduate from high school.
Supporters have argued that special-needs kids are getting short-changed educationally and they need the opportunity to attend campuses — public or private — better designed to address their specific learning needs. But, currently, there’s no provision in either bill (a Senate version and a House version) to require annual checks to see whether they still need those special services.
Anyone out there consider this a potentially costly loophole, or is this an acceptable side effect of giving more parents the option of sending their children to private schools?
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Ditching Diversity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some magnet programs in DeKalb County, including the Kittredge Magnet School for High Achievers, may become segregated racially under a plan to move campuses to better utilize the system’s facilities. But officials tell AJC education reporter Kristina Torres their focus is on academics, not diversity.
“We’re just trying to develop a quality educational experience,” said Robert Moseley, DeKalb’s associate superintendent.
Although some DeKalb parents, who are more concerned about convenience and quality, aren’t worried about maintaining a mix of black and white pupils, some teachers are, according to Kristina’s story.
“I’m concerned … moving Kittredge north will hurt diversity,” said Ann Pruitt, a social studies teacher.
Others have argued that race-conscious admissions or attendance re-zonings cause hardships for parents and students, particularly those moved out of their neighborhood schools or denied acceptance to preferred programs. But what, if anything, is lost when diversity is no longer a concern for schools, and is that worth fighting for or not?
