Wednesday, October 6, 2010
In remote Alaska, an innovative district ditches grade levels -- and increases learning.
The Maine DOE has hired a consultant to model some of our districts after this tiny school district in Alaska. Is this the best model for schools in Maine?
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This is NOT the best model for our students or property values. I cannot imagine who would purchase a home in a community where the education system is based on the needs of a very remote, sparsely populated series of communities where "...over 80% of 755 individuals tested [AK Department of Health & Social Services] were diagnosed with some level of organic brain damage resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol." according to the book Delivering on the Promise: The Education Revolution, which recounts the journey and creation of the RISC model. Can MidCoast Maine employ enough teachers to reach the ~ 7:1 student:teacher ratio in the remote Alaska district. Book also notes the teachers worked overtime at no pay to help implement; is that a realistic expectation?
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