Enrollment up; time to party
The city school system is planning a public party at M&T Bank Stadium Saturday morning before the City-Poly game to celebrate its first enrollment increase in, well, a very long time. Until now, enrollment in Baltimore schools had been declining for at least three decades.
Why the turning of the tide? It's clear that fewer freshmen dropped out of high school last year, and more city parents are choosing to send their children to public schools. Some schools reached out to recruit families this year, since funding is based on enrollment.
We reported last week that enrollment in the high schools is up 5 percent this year. No word yet on the overall system figure, which I'm told is still being calculated based on attendance through the end of October, but administrators are obviously optimistic.
The party is scheduled for 10 a.m.; kickoff is at noon.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
This increase in enrollment is not across the system. Some schools have seen a decrease in enrollment and have lost funding as a result. One sad consequence is the rumor I've heard that principals are cutting arts teachers to balance the budget. I hope that it's not true and that principals are seeking to balance in other ways, including reassigning instructional support teachers or extra administrators. Has anyone else heard about arts teachers being cut?
Posted by: Baltimore Parent | November 3, 2008 11:39 AM
I applaud the efforts to bring students back to school but they need appropripate programs for them.They supposed to be interviewed, counseled and they're school records reviewed.These people should be very familair with the schools and programs and then a proper placement could be made. Those students who only needed a credit or two might be ok placed in a "regular" setting while those with lacking 10 or more credits and who may have had discipline issues would have been better off assigned to an adult ed or GED classes where their particular needs could have been best addressed. Alternative Options schools are not set up for them either despite what the CEO is saying. It has not been a good experience to mix them in with the regular syudents who are used to being in school all day-many are intimidated and afraid.It is too much sitting and a long day for those not used to it and they are creating problems for the other students.It is the new "gangland".It is not helping them get an education. They come in late @10:00am and leave by 12noon. They don't come prepared with pens and looseleaf notebooks,or do the homework.They come to do business.This was a hastily implemented situation that is not necessarily in the best interest of the students. It sure looks good on TV/News though.Come see for yourself.
Posted by: 99yearoldlady | November 6, 2008 4:51 PM
99yearoldlady, you're right on. Problem is the PR team has spun this way to well. I'd love for a real reporter to dig into this a bit and actually see what the "come back kids" have done to create further insanity in the zone high schools. After all, city, poly and the other "city wide" programs didn't have to worry about this. Just like they have little to do with Special Ed.
Principals better not speak up or they will get extra "support" from North Ave. Oh, for those who don't know "support" is code for audits that ID more to do.
Posted by: Stu | November 6, 2008 9:48 PM