Many of you know us by now—Jessica Jacobs and I are the founders of Innovatory School for Professional Youth (ISPY), a groundbreaking, project-based, independent study, grades 6-12 Big Picture Learning charter school that we have been spiritedly and unstoppably pitching to CCUSD.
[img]1409|left|Ms. Jacobs, left, and Ms. Rodov||no_popup[/img] Jes and I are perfect opposites. I’m cautious; she’s fearless. I’m a proud conservative; she’s a bleeding heart liberal. I like dealing with philanthropists; she enjoys interacting with parents. As different as we are, we agree on important issues regarding our school. However, there has been one disagreement between us, which I’ll fill you in on.
In response to the School District’s fear that we will take their students and therefore, their money, Jes has adopted the stance that, since our program appeals to students for whom traditional school doesn’t work, we are not a threat to the District because we will attract those who have already dropped out.
Although Jes strongly believes in the exceptionality of our program, she has repeatedly praised CCUSD and has chosen the appeasement approach. Since I possess no such appeasement gene, I bluntly and happily share my different stance with you.
Why/How We Are Better
CCUSD is all right— or “aight” as we said in the New York “hood” where I taught—but ISPY is exceptional, from the superior outcomes of Big Picture Learning, to our unprecedented success in getting at-risk students into top universities, to our starry advisory board, to our internships and mentorships where students learn “on the job,” ISPY is just better. If that means we will take some of your students, so be it. A few of you will get defensive and not want to listen, but others, especially those with kids, will agree that the bar must be raised in public education. That is because there is no other field that is as important. Yet there is no other field where the standards are so pathetically low.
And I should know because I have extensive experience in the “real world”. After graduating from Columbia University, I entered the competitive business of commercial casting. There were clear measures of excellence. People were driven, motivated and at the top of their game. When I left casting to join the New York City Teaching Fellows and ended up teaching at a struggling high school, I found something completely different. Many teachers were unmotivated. There was little drive. Few people were at the top of their game. Most disturbingly, the measures of success for students were painfully low. I’ll never forget when the assistant principal showed up at my door with a batch of certificates. When I asked her about them, she said they were for passing. Mind you, passing is a D—a 65—and she thought that this warranted praise! When she was gone, I challenged my students: Would they really accept these certificates? Don’t they feel they are being insulted with these low standards? The kids dramatically arose, tore up their certificates and threw them in the trash. I was so proud of them.
Obviously, it was this clarity about excellence that, in my mere four years of teaching, resulted in my students being accepted to Columbia, Skidmore, Fordham and other top-tier schools on full scholarships. In fact, there is nothing that I am more passionate about than getting socio-economically disadvantaged students into top colleges. Why? Because the people they meet and the worlds that open to them make them socio-economically disadvantaged no more.
Here Is Why Distinctions Matter
Therefore, it is no surprise that I look at a high school’s college acceptances when gauging its success. After being told how great CCHS was, I looked at its acceptances. I spotted a lot of community and state schools, but few Ivy Leagues or top-tier universities. School Board member Patricia Siever loves namedropping West L.A. College every chance she gets. The school is “aight,” but it ain’t Harvard. She also likes to mention UCLA – which happens to be a good school – and I would like to see more CCHS students accepted there. Call me a snob or an elitist, but these distinctions matter. We must raise the bar in public education!
Something else I look at when gauging a school’s success is graduation rate. CCHS’s graduation rate is 78 percent. Not bad, admittedly higher than many schools in Los Angeles. However, Big Picture Learning’s graduation rates are much higher. The overall graduation rate for the 50 U.S. Big Picture Schools is 92 percent. The latest Big Picture Schools’ Longitudinal Study: Student Transition Survey All-Schools Report from November 2010 reported that 84 percent of graduating seniors planned to attend college in the fall and 90 percent expect to receive a Bachelor’s degree. As a Big Picture Learning school, ISPY will deliver the same or better results.
Mielke Claim Is Unfounded
Furthermore, David Mielke, Teachers Union President, claims that CCUSD meets the needs of our target populations, but this statement is unfounded. While these programs exist, they are not successful. Yes, CCUSD has an independent study program. But students must go through a lot of red tape to be approved. Many are denied. Furthermore, in our extensive research we have discovered that the program also happens to be full and not currently accepting any more independent study students. Additionally, here is how this program works: While the one teacher charged with working with all students possesses a multiple subject credential, she is not qualified to teach higher level math, science, English or history because she is not a specialist in any one subject. Furthermore, the teacher meets with students once a week and assigns 20 hours of book work. Not exactly stimulating. Now let's look at Culver Park Continuation High School. In this daily, half-day, non-independent study program, there are no lessons, no lectures, merely book work. As far as the number of students who are enrolled in courses required for UC/CSU Admission, that number is 0. Rigorous, challenging and successful? Good enough for your kids? I certainly hope not.
I’ll let you in on something else. As an English professor at Art Institute of California, I recently had two students who graduated from CCHS with solid B’s yet were woefully unprepared for college. They did not have the work ethic or writing skills to pass my moderately difficult College English class. They had to drop it. These students also happen to love ISPY and will volunteer with us once it’s in operation.
And there’s more…
The following Culver City business people have expressed an interest in supporting ISPY: Alan Shulman (owner of Akasha restaurant), Ken Kaufman (owner of Rush Street and City Tavern), Eric Sims (operating manager Kirk Douglas Theatre), Jessica Whaley (Director, Downtown Business Assn.), Steve Rose (President, Chamber of Commerce), Ken Brook (Executive at InterAir Media), Sue Robins (Ascend Training Solutions) and more.
We have also attracted an advisory board comprised of a Grammy-winning singer, a former NBA star, a screenwriter, a noted alternative educator and philanthropists. Additionally, we have built a youth advisory board comprised of students at top universities who have pledged to mentor our students and serve as liaisons to their universities.
Exceptional or Aight? It's your call.
Ms. Rodov and Ms. Jacobs may be contacted at ispycharter@gmail.com
