It's tough to debate when people don't know what they're debating.
What is "Expanding Great Options" exactly? Does anybody really know? "It" is so vague that even the linked article doesn't seem sure of what "it" is.

@ BS Paper blog article Alonso's 2011 school reorganization plans meet little opposition.

"Ditto ecko to City Teacher comments" The City Schools operations gang AAA w/staff and boad of school commissioners gang w/ Neil Duke. Lets include the pupet-on-a-string organization the Parent Community Advisory Board PCAB. Don't want the engaged stakeholders, parents, citizens knowledgeable of how to participate in a public debate or public school closing forum process. That's why not one PCAB public workshop has been provided to address training the public, stakeholders, parents,
"How-To-Participate-In the school closing public forum process." Now that publics input school closing process is final, and closed for SY 2010-2011.

This plan is failing on its own, no need to debate the semantics. I would suggest the Sun writers make an unannounced visit to Augusta Fells Savage High School, one of the "turn around" schools from last years restructuring.

Go see for yourself what firing quality teachers and infusing a school with nothing but extra money has done. Go look at all the turning around that AFSIVA has accomplished under the idea of "give it a new principal, get rid of some teachers, throw money at it, and offer no real intervention or support"

@ City Teacher:

Expanding Great Options is City Schools' method for closing schools deemed unsuccessful and opening new schools that are deemed likely to succeed (or expanding them).

But often, closing a school comes down to one tough issue: What should we do with a school that gets bad outcomes for students but is supported and loved by its families?

@Campbell--You are correct. The real reason that schools get closed--at least at the high school level--is because it gives the system a breather from having the state look at test scores for three years. Change the name; change the school. However, at all levels, AAA and others do NOT seem to understand that, in Baltimore, when someone asks where you went to school, they are not talking about college. Baltimore is attached to its neighborhood schools and can handle some closings but we are now getting to a point where school spirit is a thing of the past. Sad really.

Thanks VT - I was at a gathering a couple months ago and was listening to the chatter from a group of high school freshmen who had attended the same middle school. Most proudly boasted about attending Poly, City, Western, School for the Arts, Dunbar, Mervo, Digital Harbor and Edmondson. Then they turned their attention to those who attended, in their words, "the made-up high schools". I asked one of the students what they meant by that and the response was schools that are know by their initials because nobody knows their name. Then the strangest thing happened. The students who attended these "made-up" high schools starting listing the things their schools did not have. It was eye opening and disheartening. The children see it, why can't we?

Some of these school were developed under the former New York trained CEO Russo but many under Expanding Great Options ( lets just call it EGO because that is what it is) and maybe in years to come they will grow to mean something but I feel for the generations lost until we get there.

@OTT-
Wasn't Digital Harbor one of those "made-up" high schools not too long ago. Why aren't you complaining about Southern going away? The kids I remember talking about some of the schools that are now history (Northern comes to mind) were saying how the school might have once been something, but had turned into places of violence where no one learned anything. I've got no idea if that was factual, but if we're going by what kids say, they weren't too kind to the schools that have now been replaced.

@campbell

EGO is not just closing but also involves reforming schools. The problem is the people calling the shots are often inexperenced educators who have no understanding how to actually run a school, never mind actually done it. Stupid and ignorant comments about 5 Big changes and looking for quick fixes are the discussion.

@Brandon you're right AFS is a hot mess, but no worse than it was last year. The plan was a joke and failed to take into account serious cultural issues with the neighborhood schools. Fact is we have a set of neighborhood schools that have been neglected for years and serve some of the most at risk and needy students in the system. These neighborhood schools carry much of the "horrible" data. They are the dump of the system that allows all the other places to exist.

To much voice is given to folks who have never done the work. Reformers who work at mini schools who move kids they don't want out, then point fingers at the very schools that allow them to toss those students they don't want.

Many people have little understanding of the systemic reality. They say it's a system of choice, ha sorta. Look at the neighborhood schools they have horrible freshman selection rates, but manage to stay in business because of the stream from other schools all year long.

That's all for now, I should get lot's of nice replys from people who lack any real exp. working and changing our toughest neighborhood schools.

@AP - Southern was turned into Digital with an infusion of over $200 million. Students were thrilled to go there because it was fresh and new. That is not happening in the current remakes.

Northern much like Walbrook, Lake Clifton and Southwestern was targeted by CEO Russo and the then Gates funded (proven failure) small school program. Yes these schools had major challeges but what we ended up with was ten or twelve bad small schools instead of three or four bad big schools.I believe two or three of the small school have been closed.

Also remember when Northern's principal suspended most of the students. That had to be a cried for help, instead she was fired and the school split up. This student issues were never addressed. No real change in outcomes.

One thing those former schools did have was a stronger sense or pride and tradition. That's what VT was talking about. You can't say that (yet)about any of the break-ups.

It is great to have a place to speak out. But even better is speaking out in a venue where your voices are heard by those who are truly working to make a positive difference.

PCAB meetings are open to the public and are held every second and fourth Thursday of the month from 6:30pm to about 8:00pm, unless otherwise specified. This would allow your voices to be heard, recommendations to the board to be heard before final decisions are made (where you would be able to voice concerns and comments at that time), as well as allow you to become more empowered by being a part of the solution.

PCAB is an acronym for Parent and Community Advisory Board. The board meetings are open to the public. Parents and communities need to be heard from more before decisions are made.

@CC

And I wouldn't have a job. This system rules through fear of being fired. Good people are fleeing the system in droves. While some ineffecive folks left, many more quality folks have rolled out as well. My days are numbered, just not going to take the abuse anymore.

@ CC Parent and Community Advisory Board

PCAB when will your board update your BCPSS web site link with the new current members who serve to advise the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools and the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners about how parents, families, the community and educators can collaborate to help our students succeed. Update and provide a functioning contact phone service and change the out of date announcement/ message. Update and provide a functioning email: mailto: pcab@bcps.k12.md.us this still posted on the BCPSS web page does not work.

View the PCAB posting of old PCAB members {not serving any longer} still posted to the BCPSS web page.