Just in passing - saw the Sentinel piece on Funding for Edison Schools

Just saw the above-mentioned piece, which you can read here. Not for nothing but what caught my eye was the rhetoric all around these grants. Normally, I wouldn't have said anything about this but we're talking about grants of $64,000 on a budget of some $213 million! Hold the press!!

Really?!?

A $10,000 grant, which will be allocated for staff salaries, for the Italian language program?

Now seriously, I'd be the last one to criticize teaching the Italian language but I always thought the focus and priority should be on helping those kids that really need our help - if the last NJ ASK scores are any indication (you can see what I mean in the December 9 post).

Now, I do see a grant for $52,490 for improving achievement levels in English, language arts and mathematics for students with disabilities. That's good but I hope there's more being done to help all our students who need the help.

"Superintendent of Schools Richard O'Malley said the grant money will be focused on two groups - African-Americans and students with disabilities at John Adams Middle school. The funds will provide professional development for the staff; technology to help student achievement; and a 'period zero' before and after school for areas in which students need assistance."

Really?!? That's good but what about Thomas Jefferson??

Anyhoo, let's hope that this year's scores are better than last year's and all this rhetoric results in some meaningful improvement in this school district for $213 million.