Review of Minutes from January 6 meeting:

Debrief of Presentation to the Schools of the Future Committee

Discuss Whether to Have Additional Input Sessions

Review of Schools of the Future Timeline

Characteristics of School Choice

1. There should be small learning communities within schools; that is, schools within schools that have small learning families that include students, teachers, and families.  The facility, however, should be large enough to receive central services, but smaller learning environments.

 In response to questions, the group said:
• If there is enough variety, families could chose.
• If neighborhood schools looked like this, families may not need to transfer to get choice.
• Does not necessarily mean doing away with alternative schools.
• Such schools would be big enough to take all students and provide services.
2. Innovation should be promoted and encouraged within the district.  For example: people trying to put together a charter school should be able to find a way for it to happen internally.  The district should encourage looking outside for models that have worked both within and outside of public education.
3. Any school that receives public money, including charter schools, should provide equal access to all students and be held accountable to the same standards of assessment, and meet the needs of all students.
4. Transportation should be made available within regions so students can get easily to any school within the region.  The existing regions should be scrapped and redefined based on demographics.  This would provide better access and get cars off the road.
5. Schools should include family centers that provide psychological and emotional support.
6. Look at the K-12 configuration and begin providing pre-K.  Include existing community services in school.

1. There should be greater integration between neighborhood and alternative schools.
2. Eliminate the labels "alternative school," "neighborhood school."  Should talk about programs.
3. There should be more vocational emphasis, especially in middle and high schools so that "at-risk" students would stay in school.
4. The school district should provide information about all schools and programs that are publicly funded.
5. Needs of special needs kids should be addressed at all schools - i.e., neighborhood schools should not be the only place to provide special education.

Individual Contributions:

1. Get rid of labels such as alternative and neighborhood.  Cluster choices within the different regions and equalize attendance with five or six schools within each cluster.  Have slots within those schools - slots would have to be filled.
2. Transportation should be available to all kids - if there is a fee it would be all right as long as there are accommodations for low-income students.
3. Enrollment caps should be equal.
4. Neighborhood schools are a building block for the community, and the label should be kept.  They are the core of the education program, and alternative learning through charter schools would be a contract service.  For certain "at-risk" students there is curriculum choice through neighborhood schools (such as distance learning programs, and transfers).  Site-councils could define unique programs.  Didn't intend to eliminate special education, however, neighborhood schools should teach to mainstream.  Neighborhood schools would always have a place for students.
5. There is a perception of unfairness.  Every student should participate in a lottery and have a lottery number.  Those with the lowest numbers would have first choice.
6. The term "public" should be included in all publicly funded education programs, whether or not they are district programs.  The district should jump at the chance of seeking all alternatives, and should allow for things to be done that aren't done now (e.g., teachers could be elected by teachers and students).
7. Rather than divide 4J into neighborhood and alternative schools, each school should have identifying characteristics.  Every school should be a magnet school with a lottery and boundaries should be eliminated.
8. At-risk and non-traditional students should be offered more vocational and more non-traditional curriculum.  We should not confuse "non-traditional" and "at-risk" students.
9. TAG students need to be treated as special and be provided specially funded programs.

All meetings will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Roosevelt Middle School Library:

• Wednesday, January 26
• Wednesday, February 9
• Thursday, February 17
• Thursday, February 24