LITTLE ROCK — As the new year approaches, we have an opportunity to affect significant and positive change in the state of Arkansas. In January, a new group of state legislators will take office, tasked with addressing one of the state’s most pressing issues: the quality of our public schools.
Today more than ever, the education we provide for our children is the key to a good job and a secure quality of life. But a recent study found that only 18 percent of ACT tested high school graduates in the state were prepared for college-level coursework. This is a reality that must change, and that means transforming public education in our state.
As the founder and executive director of KIPP Delta Public Schools-a network of four college-preparatory public charter schools in Helena and Blytheville-I have dedicated my career to preparing some of the most under served students in Arkansas for college and the world beyond.
I have three recommendations to our state’s leaders to help ensure that all children in Arkansas have the best chance possible of success: Public School Choice
Educational choice in Arkansas has been a hot topic in recent months. While there are many nuances in the choice debate, the fundamental point is this: Parents and families should be provided with more choices when it comes to educating their children. This is especially true for families living in lower-income communities, where access to high-quality public education is limited at best.
The most immediate way to inject more choice into our public school system is by increasing the number of high-quality charter schools in Arkansas. Living in Helena, I have seen the profound difference that successful charter schools can make for students; that is an opportunity that all Arkansas families deserve. With a vibrant mix of charter schools and district schools, all schools have an incentive to stay on top of their game.
Meanwhile, parents can be sure to find the public school that fits their student’s learning style, cognitive makeup, emotional needs and more.
Pre-K Expansion
Research has shown many times over that a quality pre-kindergarten program can have significant and long-lasting benefits for a child. For example, a recent study found that students-especially those from low income and minority backgrounds-who attend pre-K are more likely to attain higher reading levels by the third grade than students who attend full-day kindergarten alone.
While Arkansas’ state pre-K program is an excellent start, there is much more that can be done here to expand high-quality early childhood education.
A universal statewide pre-K program, like those recently implemented in Georgia and Oklahoma, would help shrink the achievement gap between students whose families can afford pre-K and students whose families can’t. Offering that kind of all encompassing pre-K program, available to all families regardless of circumstance, is a key plank in the bridge to academic success for students throughout their school careers.
High School Graduate Tracking
A school’s ultimate success should depend on its ability to turn students into high-achieving and productive members of society. But first, we need to find out where their graduates go and what they do.
When I first entered Arkansas’ education arena 10 years ago, I was shocked to find that most schools I spoke with had no idea how their high school graduates were faring in the areas of higher education and employment. This is information that parents like my wife and me need to know in order to make informed choices, and that schools need to know in order to improve their practices and hold themselves accountable for student outcomes.
The state must work with school districts to implement a uniform system for tracking high school graduates through college, and making each school’s college persistence and graduation rates publicly available.
We owe it to ourselves and future generations to focus our state’s resources toward fulfilling the college and career aspirations of all our students, from every walk of life. We have a chance to change the face of public education in Arkansas, and by doing so, we can lift our students and our state to new heights.
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Scott Shirey is executive director of KIPP Delta Public Schools.
Editorial, Pages 13 on 12/17/2012