(Community Matters) In today’s NYTimes, article about Harvard Professor Roland Fryer’s innovative Houston experiment.I’m not sure what happened re: Austin. I seem to recall Prof Fryer wanted to launch an initiative with AISD, even knew a philanthropist very interested in funding the program.
In 2009, Dr. Fryer identified five policies common to successful charters, including those run by KIPP and the Harlem Children’s Zone: longer school days and years; more rigorous and selective hiring of principals and teachers; frequent quizzes whose results determine what needs to be retaught; what he calls “high-dosage tutoring”; and a “no excuses” culture.
The [Houston] experiment, which is known as Apollo 20 and cost $19 million in its first year, has had mixed results: Lee High School saw double-digit gains on state tests last spring, moving to “acceptable” on the Texas school report card system after many years of being rated “unacceptable.” But four of the nine Apollo schools remained on the unacceptable list, and at some the percentage of students passing state tests actually dipped.
Community Matters 