A Superintendent Writes... A Crazy Idea - Part 2

In response to the 4/9/15 post, “A Crazy Idea for Accountability Sanctions (Secondary Model),” a LYS Superintendent writes:

SC,

I do like your plan.  And I get why you would want all extra-curricular outside the school day.  However for many kids, the extras are why they come to school. What about them?  

SC Response

I know that there are students that find the extra-curriculars provided by the school more motivating than the academics. But here is my calculus in forming my opinion/recommendation. 

1. Extra-curriculars outside of the school day, still allows for extra-curriculars (and this works in 49 other states).  The move simply provides students with more instructional time and reminds all adults (coaches included) that the main thing (teaching and learning) IS the main thing.

2. The raw numbers work for my decision.  How many students earn a college scholarship due to their prowess on the field, gym or court? Let’s be overly generous and say it is 5%. Meaning if you have 400 athletes that would be about 20 students.  How many of those 20 athletic scholarships will be full scholarships? A handful, at most. And how many of those 20 students will play their sport professionally? Statistically, ZERO.

Now a campus with 400 athletes usually has between 1,000 and 1,600 students.  So for the marginal benefit of 20 students, we tolerate academically under-serving 1,000 to 1,600 students.  All of who will benefit from an improved education.  Now the simple math makes the decision a no brainer.  Improved teaching and learning trumps everything else.  It is the adult, professional course of action.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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