Spring Break
Jonesboro elementary schools aim at students' needs; convert to magnet schools
John Griffith
Issue date: 3/5/07 Section: Campus
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In August the Jonesboro School District elementary schools will become magnet schools. Magnet schools are schools designed around a theme.
The curriculum meets the Arkansas Department of Education guidelines, but is "taught with a slant that is more interesting to students that go there," said Donna Creer, executive director of the Magnet School Review Committee in Little Rock. "A magnet school is a school that attracts students based on their interest, need or ability in a particular area."
Creer said that drop out rates for magnet schools are lower than the state average, and test scores for students from magnet schools are higher when compared to the state average. Creer said that the data used to support these claims was several years old.
Dr. Kim Willbanks, assistant superintendent for elementary education was closely involved in the decision to bring magnet schools to Jonesboro.
"The Jonesboro district had been investigating the Magnet concept for several years before I came on board," Willbanks said. "This year we actually took groups of parents and community members to visit various districts who had implemented the Magnet Schools. After making those visits we were very impressed."
Debbie Pelley, a retired Westside school teacher of 27 years, is an outspoken critic of the magnet schools. She does not agree with the Jonesboro School District's analysis.
"I do educational research," Pelley said. "I do a lot of studying of state test scores, and I pull out the fallacies."
Pelley said her research shows magnet schools produce low test scores, high drop out rates, and that students coming from magnet schools are more likely to need remediation when they advance to high school.
Willbanks disagreed, and said that Pelley is using misleading information to support her position.
Pelley dismissed Willbanks's criticism, and called the magnet schools a "fad."
"It's a progressive idea," Pelley said. "You have administrators who are more concerned with making a name for themselves than their students."
The curriculum meets the Arkansas Department of Education guidelines, but is "taught with a slant that is more interesting to students that go there," said Donna Creer, executive director of the Magnet School Review Committee in Little Rock. "A magnet school is a school that attracts students based on their interest, need or ability in a particular area."
Creer said that drop out rates for magnet schools are lower than the state average, and test scores for students from magnet schools are higher when compared to the state average. Creer said that the data used to support these claims was several years old.
Dr. Kim Willbanks, assistant superintendent for elementary education was closely involved in the decision to bring magnet schools to Jonesboro.
"The Jonesboro district had been investigating the Magnet concept for several years before I came on board," Willbanks said. "This year we actually took groups of parents and community members to visit various districts who had implemented the Magnet Schools. After making those visits we were very impressed."
Debbie Pelley, a retired Westside school teacher of 27 years, is an outspoken critic of the magnet schools. She does not agree with the Jonesboro School District's analysis.
"I do educational research," Pelley said. "I do a lot of studying of state test scores, and I pull out the fallacies."
Pelley said her research shows magnet schools produce low test scores, high drop out rates, and that students coming from magnet schools are more likely to need remediation when they advance to high school.
Willbanks disagreed, and said that Pelley is using misleading information to support her position.
Pelley dismissed Willbanks's criticism, and called the magnet schools a "fad."
"It's a progressive idea," Pelley said. "You have administrators who are more concerned with making a name for themselves than their students."
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