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Community
918 / 585-5551 phone The Council is a citizen- Questions or comments Copyright© 2009 |
We need to begin seeing the educational system from the perspective of the people moving through it.
1. Racial, ethnic diversity In 2008 only about 50% of students in Tulsa County were white (Tulsa Public Schools 33%, Union about 50%). Almost 20% of all births in Tulsa County are to Hispanic women; it is projected that by 2020 about 27% of children under 5 will be Hispanic.
2.
Poverty/low income
3. More poverty and low income:
the epidemic of “low- incomeness” is likely to get worse
4. Large proportion of infants born
into a household headed by a single female or unrelated male
5.
Number of infants born to teen parents
6.
Incarcerated parents
7.
High mobility
For 2007-08, several Tulsa elementary schools reported “holding power” (number of students enrolled at the end of the year vs. at the beginning) of less than 85% with a few only 75%. Most middle schools reported less than 70% holding power and a few were less than 60%.
Large numbers of students in Tulsa Public Schools transfer in and out of schools each year. On October 1, 2008 just over 6,700 elementary students or about one-third of the total transferred in to a school from another school area, and another 6,300 transferred out of the area in which they live to another area. These percentages are slightly higher for middle and high school students. It appears large numbers of students attending individual schools do not live in the “attendance zone” for their school.
8. Disconnected/disappearing youth
Researchers estimate that approximately 10% of the population age18-24 is struggling with school, not in school, unemployed or marginally employed, involved in or previously involved in the criminal justice system, without life goals, and often leading lives as head of a poverty income household, often with one or more children. This estimate would result in 6,000-7,000 such persons in Tulsa County. Given the high poverty and incarceration rates in Oklahoma, this number is likely somewhat higher. This number also is partially driven by the growing number of foster care children and the need for great attention to transitioning older youth to appropriate learning and employment opportunities.
9. Greater participation in formal
early childhood experiences
10. Technology oriented/dependent
The key next step for success: asking the right questions Albert Einstein was once asked if he had one hour to solve the most difficult of problems how would he spend the hour. His response was, "I would spend the first 55 minutes trying to ask the right questions, using the last five to solve the problem.”
In thinking about the realities of the changing population, what are some of the key questions to ask?
For example….
What is Tulsa County’s strategy for addressing the huge racial and ethnic demographic shift in the student population?
(In a recent article, “Changing Times, Same Approach to Schools” by Andrew J. Rotherham, head of the Education Sector, a similar point was made for the entire nation. “We still do not have a national strategy for educating these youngsters (Hispanic children) even though they will account for more than one-in-three children in 40 years.”
Do we understand the implications to human capital development of the powerful impact of poverty and low income (affecting so many of our children and their families) that we can move ahead successfully? Do we have the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources for success? The needed commitment for success?
What strategies are in place throughout the community, including within individual school and other sites (e.g., churches, health facilities, non-profit groups), to effectively engage the wide variety and often-changing caregivers of children and youth (parents, grandparents, foster parents, other relatives) in their education and developmental success? Are these strategies being successful and being shared?
Who is watching the issue of student mobility and regularly describing its likely impact on student success in Tulsa County? What is that impact and how important is it? What can be done to minimize its effect?
We know the long term effects of adverse early childhood experiences, but how well is the overall human development “pipeline” really aware of what is going on with young children and their families? We may think we are doing relatively well in addressing critical needs of young children (possible because of large numbers participating in certain programs), but what is really going on?
How can it be even better...how can the focus on early childhood and young children be better connected to the growing overall focus on human capital development?
What critical gap-closing or transitioning strategies are in place in Tulsa County today that are having some success and how can we build on those for needed expansions to reduce the numbers of children and youth disengaging along the way?
What is the current level of awareness of disconnected youth in Tulsa County and what efforts are underway to address the related needs? What priority within the human capital development system does this population receive? What is the plan? Who is responsible?
Where will the resources come from to assist in higher education and other post-secondary opportunities as both the students and government are more challenged to assume financial responsibility?
Can we meet the critical challenges of the shifting population better alone or together? If together, what does that mean?
Asking the Right Questions: Introduction (Community Service Council, June 2009)
A
Nation At Risk: 25 Years Later - Waiting for the Transformation
(Education Week, February 25, 2009)
Oklahoma's Youngest Children (Community Service Council, June 2009)
Tulsa County Births by
Race and Ethnicity (Community Service Council, June 2009)
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