Both Ouachita Parish and Monroe City Schools have a similar problem: both systems are using methodologies and strategies that are not reaching inner-city youth.
Recent State Department Data has revealed a significant disparity in the academic performance of white and black students in both systems. Both systems have tried the traditional approach: change principals, change teaching staff, and add more supervisors. Both systems have tried this approach for the last two decades, but the results are the same.
We’re missing something somewhere, and we should not be satisfied until we’ve found a solution.
The Parish system has hired Todd Guice to lead the district. Monroe Superintendent Brent Vidrine’s contract is up for renewal.
So far, none of Dr. Vidrine’s moves have improved the overall academic performance of Blacks in the city system. The average ACT score for blacks in both systems is about 15, while it is 20 for whites.
Black students in both systems are underperforming in core subjects of English, math, science, and history, with only a few exceptions.
We cannot boast that we have done all we can until we have done all eight of the following:
—Increase funding: Increasing funding can help provide additional resources such as technology, books, teacher training, and smaller class sizes.
—Recruit and retain high-quality teachers: High-quality teachers are crucial for improving student outcomes. Providing competitive salaries, professional development opportunities, and supportive working conditions can help recruit and retain excellent teachers.
—Implement evidence-based instructional strategies: Strategies such as differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and personalized learning can engage students and help them learn.
—Focus on early literacy: Too many students in both systems do not have access to Pre-K programs. Providing high-quality pre-K programs, targeted literacy interventions, and ongoing support for struggling readers can help students develop strong literacy skills.
—Increase parent and community involvement: Engaging parents and the community in the education process can help improve student outcomes. Strategies such as family literacy nights, community partnerships, and parent-teacher conferences can help increase engagement and support.
—Provide wraparound services: Many inner-city students in both systems face social and emotional challenges that impact their academic success. Providing wraparound services such as counseling, health services, and social-emotional learning programs can help students address these challenges and focus on their education.
—Increase access to technology: Providing access to technology such as laptops, tablets, and smartboards can help students learn more effectively and prepare for the digital age.
—Build a culture of high expectations: Schools with high expectations and goals help improve student engagement and motivation. Building a culture of high expectations, respect, and support can help students feel valued and motivated to learn.
Some of the above eight suggestions are presently being used by our school districts by degrees.
Neither system is pursuing all eight of them “whole hog.”
Since both districts are dealing with the same demographic, it might be a good idea to finance the studies necessary to turn around the decline jointly.
Attacking this problem will be controversial, and it will be expensive, but it must be done.
The alternative is to continue doing things the way we do them now, and of course, we will get the same results, just with new faces taking the blame.
