School board to decide fate of middle school classes
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JANESVILLE — The single-gender classroom experiment at Marshall Middle School could be cut or downsized by the Janesville School Board when it meets Tuesday.
The school is asking that the board offer it only to eighth-graders during the 2011-12 school year, apparently because of budget concerns.
The experiment began in September 2007 in the sixth and eighth grades. It was expanded to the seventh grade in 2008.
About a third of Marshall's 900 students learn their core subjects in single-gender classes. They join mixed classes for courses such as tech ed, art, music and foreign languages.
Teachers trained in single-gender methods will be lost to budget cuts next fall, and there's no funding set aside to train new teachers.
A document that will be presented to the school board Tuesday suggests three options: Cut the program altogether, offer it only in eighth grade or spend the money to train new teachers in single-gender methods.
The document does not say how much training might cost, but in a year when every school will feel the effects of budget cuts, the board is sensitive to new spending.
District officials appear not ready to say whether their program is superior to the mixed classes they offer.
"Both settings have tremendous merit," according to a document that will be presented to the board Tuesday. "We are saying for the right student, this form of differentiation can assist students in reaching their maximum potential."
The document shows results of a standardized test called Measures of Academic Progress, which show the single-gender classes had significantly higher percentages of their students meeting the test targets than the mixed classes in math and reading, in most cases.
Results were nearly identical, however, in eighth-grade math and sixth-grade reading.
The document does not show how the two methods compare based on state test scores.
Many of those involved in the program like it, however. The document cites "a significant amount of anecdotal data that indicates that this is working for students, parents and staff. In short, for those who participated in (single-gender education), there is a perception that it has a positive impact on student engagement."
ON THE AGENDA
The Janesville School Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Educational Services Center, 527 S. Franklin St. The agenda includes:
-- The first reading of a change in board policy that would stop high school student representatives from participating in school board discussions. The students would be limited to giving reports about the high schools that are "purely informative."
-- Reducing the 2011-12 maintenance budget by $635,000 from the current year level.
-- Charging parents a fee for workbooks in some elementary classes. Workbooks cost between $10 and $20. The administration is suggesting the district charge for half the cost.
-- Approval to appoint one teacher each at Craig and Parker high schools to act as their buildings' athletics directors. The teachers would teach two classes per day and be paid stipends of $5,466 on top of their regular salaries. The move is expected to save about $28,000. Currently, assistant principals act as the athletics directors. The high schools would have two assistant principals next fall instead of the current three if the board approves related recommendations.
-- Consider a proposal to move the Janesville Academy for International Studies to UW-Rock County rather than to the two high schools.
May 24, 2011 at 11:10 p.m.
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Ice you HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!!! It DOES NOT exclude the problem kids. Any parents is able to put their child on the single gender team. They have autistic kids, EBD, LD, ADD, ADHD, and kids that are just plain naughty on those teams just like all the others.
May 24, 2011 at 4:25 p.m.
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totellthetruth: If it passes its first reading, there's only one more reading, and then it's a virtual shoo-in. They usually dont even talk about it the second time
May 24, 2011 at 3:24 p.m.
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Taxandspend...I think you have been working too long at your place of employment, it's starting to rub off on you.
May 24, 2011 at 1:30 p.m.
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The school board doesn't like that the student rep from Parker is more intelligent, more articulate, and has more insight into what's truly best for education than the group of them combined.
May 24, 2011 at 11:18 a.m.
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Sad that most 3rd graders can not read a book written in English by themselves. But those same third graders can speak fluent Spanish
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What a flippin' lie!
May 24, 2011 at 11:12 a.m.
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Although it may work..... it does sound a bit like a type of segregation to me.
May 24, 2011 at 10:49 a.m.
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Ice - Single gender education does NOT exclude "problem students". It is a cross section of all students. My child is an 8th grader and has been in single gender classes all three years at Marshall. He loves it and believes he wouldn't have done as well in school had it not been for this program. He has also been inspired by some very talented, caring teachers in this program. I believe many students use school choice because of the single gender opportunity at Marshall - but I have not gotten any hard data on it. I do know of one family who thought they would not be able to use school choice to attend Marshall so they sold their home and moved into the Marshall boundaries so their child could participate in it! I really hope they do not end this program.
May 24, 2011 at 9:44 a.m.
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No one is asking for them to make a vote, but to have that active voice and to be heard with their concerns. asking them to come and just give "information" is ridiculous. How can you as a school board lead when you are going to vote to shut up to the voice of the students! It is absolutely pathetic that this is getting a reading and if I wasn't working tonight I would be there to give this group a piece of my mind!
May 24, 2011 at 9:40 a.m.
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Older - maybe they're not mature enough to be making these decisions (and some of the board members apparently aren't either) - however, the student rep serves in a non-voting capacity. That means they're not making decisions - they're just participating in the process and offering their opinions and concerns from the student perspective. What could possibly be wrong with that?
May 24, 2011 at 9:13 a.m.
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Students are not mature enough to be making decisions for the schools. No way should they have an active roll. Alough most days the school board seems brain dead, so...
May 24, 2011 at 8:38 a.m.
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totell - you are so right. "Bunk" is a nice way of putting it. We're trying to uphold the high ideals of scholarship and leadership at the high school level, but then telling the students to keep quiet in matters that have a direct effect on them? Shame on you, Mr. Murray.
May 24, 2011 at 8:36 a.m.
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Taxandspend,what you find pleasure in is what is really sad !
May 24, 2011 at 8 a.m.
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-- The first reading of a change in board policy that would stop high school student representatives from participating in school board discussions. The students would be limited to giving reports about the high schools that are "purely informative."
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This is absolute bunk.. According to the WCLO report, Mr. Murray is spear heading this. He should absolutely be ashamed of himself. The students should be an active participant in the school board. This is a travesty and if this gets more than one reading, I assure you that you will hear from many citizens on how this is unacceptable in our community. These students voice must be heard in more than "an informative" manner.
May 24, 2011 at 6:36 a.m.
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The single gender program was smoke and mirrors.
Students and teachers liked the arrangement because it excluded problem students.
Studies have never shown that single gender classes have any positive effect.
May 24, 2011 at 6:05 a.m.
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Appointing a teacher as athletic director at each high school and they only teach 2 classes a day!! They also get a bonus for doing this. Sounds pretty cushy. Is there that much to do for an athel dir? Just asking.
May 23, 2011 at 6:38 p.m.
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It is voluntary and there are comparable classes offered to mixed classes.
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