The Greater Johnstown School District officials say grade grouping has a positive effect on this district. One should wonder how this new approach to learning with such a short evaluation span is possible. Our educators should heed the words, “manage change wisely.” To accomplish this, they must have the total support of the parents of these children.
When our nation is compared to the rest of the world when it comes to education, we pay the most per student, but are rated lower than many Third World countries, the Middle and Far East and the whole of Europe.
As concerns this new “age-grouping concept,” one should recall another education concept, (still current), Operation Head Start preschool program. That much touted program that was to better position those children into their future active school curriculum. Guess what? After tens of billions of taxpayers dollars spent, unbiased surveys have found this program to have negligible to no advantage at all for these young children. Of course that program will continue; can’t lose all those educators’ jobs.
Yet our educators deem age grouping a success – bias, anyone? In our declining school enrollment, is it possible these new school programs are motivated to ensure educators stable jobs and increased work justification?
One comment by an educator in the subject article states one advantage of this program is “the children are getting the same message and curriculum from one leader.” Are they saying that under our present system, teachers/leaders are teaching different messages/curriculum to their students? For shame.
Attempts by educators to re-invent education have been a dismal failure, as proven by all unbiased statistics/surveys. This age grouping concept has all the earmarks of past programs, such as Head Start. It is unfortunate these unelected educators, here, Albany, and beyond can implement and mandate unproven changes to what used to be successful educational procedures. This is nothing more than unbridled bureaucratic power, detrimental to a once successful education system.
I say again, the only people who should approve this program are the parents of these children, who must accept the additional transportation risk, expense and inconvenience to them and their children.
JOE PARKER
Mayfield
