I saw this article a couple of days ago and forgot to post it. Hattip to Mahkno for bringing it to our attention:
Urban Prep: 100 Percent Of Graduates
Urban Prep: 100 Percent Of Graduates
College-Bound For Second Straight Year
For the second year in a row, an all-male charter school with students from the city's worst neighborhoods is sending its entire senior class to college.
Urban Prep Charter Academy was founded in 2006, and its goal from the start was for every one of its graduates to be attending college when they left. It was an unlikely mission, given that only four percent of the school's first freshman class was reading at grade level when they entered.
Last year, the school, founded by educator and nonprofit leader Tim King, did just that -- all 107 graduating seniors were accepted at the end of the year. And this year, Urban Prep has repeated its success.
"No other public [school] in the country has done this," King said, according to NBC.
And some Chicago bigwigs were on hand to celebrate the result, including Alderman Willie Cochran, Treasurer Stephanie Neely and outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley.
"When you are accepted, there are no excuses," Mayor Daley, said. "They said we believe in you. ... We are going to make you independent."
Students at the exceptional all-male school have a uniform of jacket and tie. It also has a school day two hours longer than usual, with two classes per day of English, and every student is assigned a mentor from the staff who has a school-assigned cell phone that students can call them on 24 hours a day. About 60 percent of teachers at Urban Prep are, like their students, black men. Source
For the second year in a row, an all-male charter school with students from the city's worst neighborhoods is sending its entire senior class to college.
Urban Prep Charter Academy was founded in 2006, and its goal from the start was for every one of its graduates to be attending college when they left. It was an unlikely mission, given that only four percent of the school's first freshman class was reading at grade level when they entered.
Last year, the school, founded by educator and nonprofit leader Tim King, did just that -- all 107 graduating seniors were accepted at the end of the year. And this year, Urban Prep has repeated its success.
"No other public [school] in the country has done this," King said, according to NBC.
And some Chicago bigwigs were on hand to celebrate the result, including Alderman Willie Cochran, Treasurer Stephanie Neely and outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley.
"When you are accepted, there are no excuses," Mayor Daley, said. "They said we believe in you. ... We are going to make you independent."
Students at the exceptional all-male school have a uniform of jacket and tie. It also has a school day two hours longer than usual, with two classes per day of English, and every student is assigned a mentor from the staff who has a school-assigned cell phone that students can call them on 24 hours a day. About 60 percent of teachers at Urban Prep are, like their students, black men. Source
13 comments:
You think this will ever happen in Peoria? Not until the philosophy of administration faculty and staff ot all Peoria school is drasticly changed
Getting INTO college is not that hard Emerge. You only need an 18 on your ACT to get into ISU. Now, the real issue is, will they graduate? Also, how many are getting FULL ride scholarships? Everyone in my family had to PAY for their own education, which means they took it seriously. In other words, they had to REPAY student loans, so they had better graduate so they could be decent jobs. That is FAR more important than GETTING INTO COLLEGE. Not that hard.....especially if you are an inner-city minority. Just saying.
Sounds like another endorsement of alternatives to standard government schools. Too bad everyone doesn't have school choice.
Anonymous...one would assume that getting into college indicates that they graduated from high school. There's no high school in Peoria with a 100% graduation rate. So, kudos to these kids and this school as IMO, they're doing something right.
And, just FYI, you say it "only" takes an ACT score of 18 to get into ISU...that might be the minimum to apply, but the mean ACT scores for this year's freshman class is 24. Getting into college is still hard for many high school grads. Again, I say, if these kids all got into college...they're doing something right at that charter school!
Sounds like these kids have worked hard for what they've earned. If they've been awarded scholarships, then AGAIN I say...good for them!
It might be lost on Anon, but these kids were severely behind when they started at Urban Prep. They came in with deficits and in four years moved to be on target or ahead. That is no small achievement.
All those "severly behind" students all went to Head Start and Early Childhood classes....guaranteed. I see the same thing year after year. Getting into college, good for them. Now, let's see them GRADUATE and get JOBS.....that is the PROOF that a charter school works. I really am tired of the "wow, look, they all graduated".....you will all be saying the same about the Manual program....just because you graduated and "got accepted" into college does not make you a contributing member of society. YOU GOTTA WALK THE WALK....
Anonymous said
All those "severly behind" students all went to Head Start and Early Childhood classes....guaranteed.
BINGO. FOIA THAT.
Anonymous...the "you gotta walk the walk" portion of your post is right for ANY demographic of college student. Trust me. I teach college students every day. It's easy to see who's feeling entitled and who isn't. And, as a hint...it's not the first generation college students that are generally feeling entitled and aren't putting forth the effort to graduate.
These kids are further along the road to being contributing members of society than others who fail to make it to high school graduation...your deficit thinking doesn't minimize that fact at all, Anonymous...
and I sat in many college classes with disruptive "entitled" students who were making a career of getting a bachelors degree. How long will my tax dollars, aka grants be allowed to support permanent college students? Btw, I graduated college in 7 semesters because I didnt want to pay for 8 semesters of student loans. I wasnt lucky enough to qualify for a FREE RIDE. I had to pay my own way therefore I needed to get done with school asap so I could get a job and repay my loans.
Anonymous, I graduated in 6 semesters...same rationale. I guess I don't see the need to blame others for the fact that I worked by butt off to get my degree quickly because it was in my best interest.
You speak of a "free ride" but I don't know of a single student who received grants who didn't also have student loans along with them...And, the way college tuition costs are rising, far more students will need grants to make college affordable than ever before...
Clearly, though (insert eye rolling here) you know best, and I'm SURE you're right. You're better than every single college graduate who earned their degrees with the assistance of federal aid and grants. I'm certain you worked harder than they did. I'd say you have MUCH to be proud of (end sarcasm).
Bottom line...your resentment of grants/aid being a part of the funding structure for low income college students should not take the shine off the accomplishments of the kids at this charter school. These are really wonderful results and I hope the graduates of this school have very successful college careers, however they're funded!
My resentment stems from the fact that freeloaders who NEVER graduated in 6-7 years of college, ran up student loans, had babies, dropped out of school, bankrupted on their loans, cried boohoo because they can't find a job and their credit sucks, so give me something for free. I am THRILLED that all of these students "made it into college". The fact remains, you cannot say that the charter school made all the difference if they don't graduate and go on to lead productive lives and be contributing members of society. Somehow, someday, you liberals will get that. It is called a hand UP not a hand OUT.
Bottom line: as high school graduates these students already are more productive members of society than their peers who never graduate. And, for that, I can say that this charter school made a difference. Until other high schools in the state/country/district have a 100% graduation rate, you will not convince me that the charter school isn't doing something impressive.
The graduation rate goals for NCLB are the most absurd and the most dishonest. Teacher grades and the graduation rate can be manipulated very easily to make a school look good. To decide whether or not a school properly prepared its students, one would have to track students to see what they are doing ten years out of high school. Also, I think we'd better get over the idea that the only successful students are college graduates. Also, some people are very successful by taking apprenticeships in the trades, etc. Many, many average Americans with average jobs have achieved happiness and success in life and have raised children who do the same--we get too caught up in this talk that assumes all students must be CEOs, etc., to be considered a success in life. The important task for a school is to provide guidance to students about jobs that fit their needs and their abilities--and to offer them a diploma that is an honest reflection of what and how much they know. These inflated grades and high graduation rates make a school look good--but that perception doesn't help the young people who graduate without actually earning the diploma.
Post a Comment