FAST FACTS:
(Memphis 1/21/2010) Doctor Kriner Cash doesn't make excuses for under performing Memphis City Schools.
Prior administrations would argue that tests were unfair, that Memphis City Schools had special reasons why they were on the list. Not Superintendent Cash, "We know some of our schools have had a long history of under performing."
What concerned Cash is reports Tennessee would take over operations of those schools, if they received money from the feds in the Race to the Top Program.
"It is premature to say they'll take over," Cash said on Thursday. "The program is still in its formative stages. It could be the state, it could be a private corporation, it could be us," he said. "We believe the best course instead of control is sort of a hybrid plan. We know this system better than anybody else. We could work together with the state."
What Kriner Cash was concerned about was how principals, teachers and parents would react. His first issue to make clear was timing. "This will not happen this coming fall," Cash said. "At the earliest will be the fall of 2011. During the next 18 months we will be talking to people with the Tennessee Education Department over what we've got going on, what is working, and what isn't working."
Superintendent Cash used this as an opportunity to tell folks that some of these low performing schools are showing signs of improvement. "Trezevant High has improved their math TCAP scores by 30 points. We've seen double digit gains at Hamilton High. At Frayser Middle and High Schools there have been 18 and 20 point improvements in Reading and Math respectively."
As far as under performing schools, Cash said 3 years ago there were 21 Memphis City Schools on the list. There are now 8.
- Eight Memphis Schools listed as under performing
- State wants more than $500 million from Feds in Race to Top plan
- More than $100 million would go to help under performing schools
(Memphis 1/21/2010) Doctor Kriner Cash doesn't make excuses for under performing Memphis City Schools.
Prior administrations would argue that tests were unfair, that Memphis City Schools had special reasons why they were on the list. Not Superintendent Cash, "We know some of our schools have had a long history of under performing."
What concerned Cash is reports Tennessee would take over operations of those schools, if they received money from the feds in the Race to the Top Program.
"It is premature to say they'll take over," Cash said on Thursday. "The program is still in its formative stages. It could be the state, it could be a private corporation, it could be us," he said. "We believe the best course instead of control is sort of a hybrid plan. We know this system better than anybody else. We could work together with the state."
What Kriner Cash was concerned about was how principals, teachers and parents would react. His first issue to make clear was timing. "This will not happen this coming fall," Cash said. "At the earliest will be the fall of 2011. During the next 18 months we will be talking to people with the Tennessee Education Department over what we've got going on, what is working, and what isn't working."
Superintendent Cash used this as an opportunity to tell folks that some of these low performing schools are showing signs of improvement. "Trezevant High has improved their math TCAP scores by 30 points. We've seen double digit gains at Hamilton High. At Frayser Middle and High Schools there have been 18 and 20 point improvements in Reading and Math respectively."
As far as under performing schools, Cash said 3 years ago there were 21 Memphis City Schools on the list. There are now 8.
