Waiting for Superman Notes

• In the opening Geoffrey Canada is talking about his disappointment about Superman not being real. That there really was no one strong and powerful coming to save them. 
• We send our kids to school wanting to believe in the schools.
• Fear of sending kids to public schools that are failing.
• It lucky when a person can make a choice as to which school they send their child to.
• When there good public schools available, the space is often limited and enrollment is determined by a lottery system
• Anthony--a boy who repeated second grade. Had hard time. His dad died--took drugs. Grandma took him in
• Daisy has a sweet little voice. She is very driven and determined. Has big goals. Wants to be a nurse, doctor or vet so that she can help people in need. She read about these in the library. When she is asked about kids who say that school is boring she says that the student should pay attention instead of being bored and figure out a way to make learning fun. Her father is jobless.
• Old clip--good schools. What does it mean? Need more info. Need a committee. 
• Lots of presidents say that they want to make education a priority
• In 1971 we spent $4,300 to educate a student per year. Today it is $9,000 (figure takes into account inflation--real number) = 2x as much. Are we getting 2x as much in return? 
• Francisco's mom describes her childrens' school, you can't go further than the front door. There is a security guard. The school is the 3rd largest in the Bronx.
• Bianca's mom wants daughter to go to college and have a career not just a job. Recognizes the importance of education to daughter's future. Single mom works very hard to ensure that this happens.
• Bush and Kennedy-no child left behind. Republicans and Democrats unite. Measure students through standardized tests.
• 20-25% of students at reading grade level across the country.
• Btwn 5th and 7th grades huge number of students, minorities in particular, go from being "B" students to "D' students.
• Daisy's dad dropped out of school in order to work and help provide for the family. 
• In CA 40% of the students do not graduate. Schools that are "Drop out Factories". There are over 2 thousand of these. Kids are pushed to them.
• "millions of kids walking the streets with no vested interest in living"
• Experts blame failing schools on failing neighborhoods. Now starting to think the opposite.
• 60% of the inmates in penitentiary are drop outs
• Jay Matthews 
• Sousa is an academic sink hole. 5 yrs behind.
• Michelle Rhees. 7th superintendent in 10 years in DC
• Federal standards, State standards and local district standards.
• Jon Alter--the things that we have set up to help are now actually the problem. The Blob
• Rhees--too little accountability to produce results for kids.
• Fransico is a 1st grader. Not good teachers. Mom says that she has the feeling of why, why, why, why, why bother We're stuck
• Difference between good and bad teacher is one academic yar. Bad teacher covers only 50% of the curriculum while a good teacher can cover 150%.
• Very difficult to fire teachers. They get automatic tenure after two years. Unions to thank for this. They started to help teachers who primarily women earn a fair wage. Which was a good thing at the time. 
• The democrats are 90% owned by teachers.
• "P" pap (the disciplinary process) is very confusing and if a single date is missed it can be subject to a grievance
• The biggest obstacle to reform is the teachers contract.
• Dance of the lemons-- principles swap out bad teachers for other bad teachers hoping that something will change. 
• A teacher that is tenured in NY and not living up to expectations is submitted to the reassignment process. This process can take a long time and they collect full benefits while waiting. These hearings cost 100 million a year. This does not even account for a teacher that is just an ok teacher. Geoffrey Canada started the charter school int he worst neighborhood. Public school with public school $.
• PBS "Learning Matters"
• There are better schools, but you need to know options. 1960's magnet schools. 1990's charter schools.Education used to be the way out of a bad neighborhood until 1970
• 40-50 years ago we led the world in education.
• We have fallen behind every area around the world except confidence. We are the most confident
• Tracking--kids get in track to high average and low. This determines their futures. When you are in a track it is next to impossible to get out of that track into a higher one. They get behind and it's impossible to catch up.
• In CA, the top 1/3 of the kids for the the UC schools
• Tracking 20% to college, 20% to vocational schools and the rest ?
• Our schools haven't changes, but the world around has. Now every student should have a college education. 
• 123 million jobs high skill and high pay, but only 50 million qualified people.
• Charters are sending students to college
• Because of teacher contracts, we can not model all public schools after the charter schools.
• $, laws, latests reforms. You can't have a great school without a great teacher.
• Nothing will change with tenure.
• Now that we know that it is possible, what is our obligation?
• Make kids believe again that education is a way out.
• Our system is broken. It seems impossible. It can't wait
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