Low Achieving Schools

I researched and found that we have bay area schools that are suffering like those in East St.Louis. We have a long list of schools that fall in Tier 1, that all have low ranking test scores. Even though the level of poverty in California does not compare to East St. Louis, we still have areas that need severe improvement. The article I read on http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14652286# discusses that new test scores altered the order of the schools listed in Tier 1. I was pleased to see that there is an action plan to remedy the problem. There is an option to apply for federal grants to implement an intervention to improve the scores. Their solution is to not just replace staff, but to also find a new strategy to reach out and connect with the students. This may include, longer instructional time, new programs, and reorganizing the campus as a charter school. The schools in East St Louis don't offer an action plan. They choose to ignore the problem and separate the poor from the rest of society. One example, is the development of Dearborn Park. Rather than allowing the children of a neighboring housing development, access to this new school and resources, the government limited their opportunity and only allowed them to enter by the third grade. I think California continues to make progress in the education system. It's not as fast as it should be, nor do we prioritize our funding towards education, but there is still more improvement than in East St Louis.