Inner-City Education

Please take five to ten minutes to describe your and your family's school experience, and to summarize your views on pre-college education.  We will present the consolidated results of this survey at the beginning of our January 11th session, as a starting point for Discussion.
This survey must be completed by end-of-day Sunday January 9th, for your entries to be included in our summary.

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* 1. Did you go to a traditional public or private grade school?

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* 2. Did you go to a public or private high school?

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* 3. Did your spouse or partner go to a public or private grade school?

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* 4. Did your spouse or partner go to a public or private high school?

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* 5. Did your children go to a public or private grade school?

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* 6. Did your children go to a public or private high school?

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* 7. Did or do your grandchildren go to a public or private grade school?

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* 8. Did or do your grandchildren go to a public or private high school?

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* 9. Has anyone in your family attended a publicly funded school of choice such as a charter school, a private school funded with a voucher, public school requiring an admissions test?  Check all that apply.

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* 10. In a typical American inner-city school, what percent do you think graduates from high school?

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* 11. High school graduation tests in inner cities have been significantly dumbed down, and may not even reflect traditional eighth grade skills.

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* 12. Spending in urban public schools is what percent of near in suburban schools?

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* 13. How would you prioritize the following school reform proposals that are frequently advocated?  Mark 1 through 10.

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* 14. All of the above reform approaches have been tried for well over 20 years in multiple districts.  Some feel that none of these have worked or will work.  Do you?

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* 15. Parental school choice generally includes public charter schools, vouchers for private (including religious) schools, and choice between traditional public schools.  Another way school choice is described is "backpack" funding.  This means all, or virtually all, of school funding is allocated to each student, and that funding is put in a "backpack" that the student takes to the school the parent chooses for their child.  Do you believe school choice is a critical element, and even the key critical element, of urban school reform?

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* 16. School choice takes money from public education, removes the smartest children from public schools, facilitates religious bigotry, and leads to segregation of society along economic, racial, and religious lines.

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* 17. The Camden, New Jersey public school system is in the process of being liquidated.  Of about 14,000 students, 4,000 are in charter schools now (and this will increase), and as many as 9,700 will be in Renaissance Schools in a few more years.  Renaissance Schools are a hybrid of traditional public schools and charter schools.  They are much better funded, are authorized by the local school board and must take all students from the neighborhood sending district.  They are operated by large charter management chains and are non-union.  The program to liquidate the Camden public school system (and the Camden teacher's union) is being driven by the South Jersey Democratic power structure.  Some think this is an example to be emulated across the country.  Do you

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* 18. How significant is it that each individual public school is funded by the number of students that attend the school, and that parents make the decision for their children to attend?

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* 19. Do you believe it is constitutional for parents to be able to use public funds to send their  children to religious schools with limitations  such as family income and right to opt-out of religious classes.

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* 20. How many children in Florida use vouchers to send their children to private (including religious) schools?  There are more than three million pupils in Florida schools from grades pre-K through 12.

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* 21. Further thoughts?

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