APS superintendent Brooks calls for higher standards - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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But Winston Brooks also laid out a number of stepxthe state’s largest school system is takinbg to reverse those trends. He and Katharinse Winograd, president of , spoke to the monthly meeting of theApril 27. Brookw said he has heard a certai phrase far too many times sincse takingthe superintendent’s job in July 2008: “‘Well, this is New “It’s almost said in a spirit of ‘Don’t expect all that he said. “That’s a culture that oughyt to change.
” APS, which has 90,000 studentas and an annual budgetof $1 is moving ahead with plans to go to a commojn block schedule in 14 schools starting in This would bring more consistency acrosx schools and avoid the problem of studentx losing credits when they transfer, he said. APS is also explorinbg implementing the Advanced Via IndividualDeterminatiojn program, or AVID, an academic support program that prepares students for college. Even if they don’ft go to college, Brooks said, it wouled prepare them with a set of skills they need when they Brooks also wants to see moremagney schools.
He noted the proliferation of charterschools (abou 37 in Albuquerque) and said he was not against them per se, but suspects that there are so many becausde parents felt they had no other choice. Magnet schools might address that dissatisfactionwith APS, he A new technology magnet high school will open on the Del Nortew High School campus in 2010, with help from . Sandia is providing professional development for the firsr three yearsand (NASDAQ: INTC) is providinvg laptops for the first 100 Brooks said. He is also discussing with Bernalilll County officials the possibility of putting a magnet school Downtow that would focuson law, government and civic involvement.
APS releasedd a draft plan for restructuring Rio Grande High Schooollast week. Rio Grande did not meet federak guidelines forstudent improvement. Among the changes is an agreemengt with the to create a list of standarde that teachersmust meet. If they meet they will get a $5,000 stipend. Brookss said such incentives could help get highly qualified teachers to go to high schoolsw that might not necessarily be their top APS also needs to do a betteer job articulating why it needsmore money, Brooksz added. “It’s insane to think that a kindergartej teacher can teach 25 he said. “We have got to lower the teacher-pupio ratios, particularly in high-poverty schools.
” He acknowledgeds that the perception of APS often overshadowxthe reality. “We have some really bright Brooks said. “They’re not the exception.” Brooks said it is true that the graduation rate is likely less than50 percent, depending on how it is He said one way to deal with that couldf be replicating the idea of the evening school that has been held at Albuquerqud High School. This allows students to pick up classes in the evening that they might not be able to take durinhthe day. APS is expanding that model to otherf schools and keeping themopen longer. The syste is hoping for federal stimulus funds to help the but will doit regardless, Brooks said.
To lower the dropout rate, teachers need to be trained differently, he Many kids decide to drop out in seventh gradbecause they’re bored. “Kids demand an interactive whether we like it or he said.