My high school alma mater, Waubonsie Valley High School, was diverse in every sense of the term, but the most striking difference I noticed was the vast disparity in achievement that existed within each classroom.
While some students graduated and went to top universities like MIT, Brown and UW-Madison, others continued to struggle with writing complete sentences or finishing an algebra test in their senior year. A handful of students did not receive the learning experience they needed to prepare them for the future.
This glaring achievement gap is present in the city of Madison—most notably in the African-American population—where only 52 percent of students graduated from high school in 2009.
Fortunately, Kaleem Caire of the Urban League is stepping up and proposing a way to increase graduation rates and overall academic achievement among Madison students.
Caire plans to build an all-male, mostly African-American charter school called Madison Prep for sixth through 12th graders. Madison Prep will take several departures from the normal school model that many students find sufficient, but will focus additional attention on students who need extra help—a necessary resource that is often lacking in Madison schools.
Madison Prep students will address this by incorporating ""ability grouping,"" which concentrates struggling students together and holding mandatory Saturday school for students who are falling behind in their studies. By grouping struggling students in the same classroom, teachers will be able to more efficiently and effectively teach students who require more attention. Because of this strategy, Madison Prep will give more students the individualized attention they need to succeed.
But to me, the most important aspect of this school is a ""participation contract"" that students' parents or guardians will sign to show support for their student's education.
Madison Prep will put the necessary pressure on parents to be active participants in their students' education. In a Cap Times interview, Caire explained how the school will set expectations for students and parents and go as far as to ""set up tables outside [students'] houses"" if parents fail to show up for a conference.
From sitting their child down to study to helping with projects, parents are a vital piece of a child's education.
Many middle school and high school students, who have not reached educational maturity, lack the intrinsic motivation to study without being told what to do by an authority figure. Even college students need someone to tell them to get off of Facebook and open that dreadful organic chemistry textbook sometimes.
As most people know, learning does not stop when the school day ends. In fact, for many students, the extra hours of studying and supplemental readings are what actually ingrain the lessons taught in the classroom. Without someone at home to tell a student to keep studying, it is likely he or she will fail to actually learn and could fall behind in school.
It is this attention to students, both from parents and teachers that makes me believe Madison Prep will have a good chance at succeeding in the long run.
But this school is not without some serious concerns. One main concern is that the school admittedly focuses on a narrow demographic, which some people see as segregation or discrimination and a reason to keep this idea on the shelf.
However, based on the meager 52 percent graduation rate among African-American high school students in Madison, it can be argued the traditional public school system is not living up to its educational responsibilities. So if the school district is presented with an option like Madison Prep, it has the responsibility to give the school a chance to exist and a fair shot at funding.
Many schools in America fail to properly educate students for a variety of reasons, ranging from lack of funding to low-quality teachers to lack of parental involvement. To me, the last two are the biggest obstacles blocking student achievement.
Though many other reforms are needed in public schools, such as changes in the funding structure, Caire's design for Madison Prep offers students something that all too many schools, even well-funded ones, are lacking: Highly motivated teachers and increased parental involvement.
All students deserve a good education, and Madison Metropolitan School District should seriously consider taking Caire up on his offer.
Matt Beaty is a sophomore majoring in math and computer science. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
