Thursday, July 12, 2007
School Sizes
Be sure to read today's Washington Post story about larger school sizes in Loudoun County. Many people, particularly in the rural west of the county, are understandably upset about the growth in school sizes. Small schools based in each small town would mean less time on the bus, greater community identity for the school and more individual attention for each child. It would also mean a significantly higher tax burden that the voters of Loudoun County have demonstrated they are not willing to bear.
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I don't hear people demanding smaller schools based in every town -- they're asking for schools to be placed where the students are -- not to be put out in an isolated hayfield in the middle of nowhere.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that the operating costs are being fairly considered. The potential long term cost savings in bus transportation alone are huge when the vast majority of students don't have to ride an extra 5+ miles each way.
Please come out to the Lovettsville meeting next Tuesday. It doesn't sound like Dr. Adamo is interested in hearing from the citizens ("The public is invited to attend this information session, but no public comment is anticipated"). Hopefully the mayor and town council will be able speak to the many benefits of locating schools in/near the town.
Another thing to consider is the planning commission's comments on July 16, 2007: perhaps it is time for change in Loudoun when it comes to schools. Elected officials and taxpayers need to look at the construction models used and consider whether or not they are the "right" models for all communities. Furthermore, educational data suggests that smaller schools AND community schools are better for students. After all, there are several communities faced with another generation of children being "shipped out" for their education after fifth grade. In an era of SOLs, AYP, No Child Left Behind, and more, children need to be in schools closer to home... There are schools in Loudoun at this time that are considered "small" and yet the class sizes are 30 or above at the high school level.
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