The Madison School District shared their data with the group and they decided when their next two meetings would be. Compton made some interesting/borderline comments and they have an interesting discussion about race and how housing patterns affect the schools. There was a powerpoint presentation with lots of information, without a handout, so I tried to capture it the best I could.
GETTING STARTED
The meeting was moved from the Mayor’s office to Room 260 across the street. The meeting started 5 minutes late with Brian Munson, Marj Passman, Mark Clear, Judy Compton, Dave Porterfield, Brian Solomon and Marsha Rummel were the quorum. Judy Olson absent, but joined them later. City staff of Bill Clingan, Mark Olinger, Ray Harmon and Helen Dietzler. Kurt Keifer from the School District was here to present.
INTRODUCTION
Passman introduced the topic, and handed out information about special ed, english language learners, low income kids with a breakdown by school and race. They had maps and data. She says it will be real quick to see where the low income and needy students live.
Munson wants clarification of what low-income means – says that low-income is usually free and reduced lunch.
RACE
Kiefer introduced himself. He says there have been many changes since the 90s by race and income. Says race is a good indicator of low-income within the school district. Not just changes in the numbers, but the rate of change is of note. 25,000 kids in the schools, which has been somewhat constant. Total enrollment hasn’t changed much. Show’s slide of slight decreases in white students and much greater increases in Asian, Hispanic and African American kids. Says Hispanic kids are increasing the fastest. Elementary schools (12,000 students) show greater decrease in white kids, a little over 50% are not minority kids. Middle school is showing the same decreases in white students.
Compton interrupts and asks why he is calling the kids white instead of Caucasian.
Kiefer says that is what the state asks for. Same trends at the high schools. Graduation rates – the gap is closing between white and African American kids. They are staying enrolled in school. At elementary level Hispanic is the fastest growth, as well as middle and high schools.
Clear asks if this reflects white flight, or if this just reflects the communities changing demographics. He wants to know how much is in and out migration. Kiefer says they look more at private and parochial school attendance as portion of Dane County and MMSD. Our enrollment hasn’t changed as a percentage. There has been an increased activity in open enrollment – and those numbers have gone up from 200 to 400 kids in the last 8 – 10 years. He says the bigger factor is that they manage their enrollment to their capacities in the private and parochial schools. Even with virtual schools, not much changes. The bigger factor is the housing transition in Metropolitan area. Prime development is happening in other districts. Birth to 4 age group is where new housing develops and the kids are moving out further and further. Schools aren’t being added in our attendance areas, people may live in Madison but go to other schools. In 1981 they changed how school districts grow – no longer contiguous borders with the city. 7 person board decides boundary disputes and we’ve lost 19 of 20 cases we took to the board. Far west and Fitchburg and Far east are some areas of growth for the school district. Some of this is a factor of how we have developed.
Compton asks about “Caucasian exodus”. Kiefer says it is not an exodus, its just change over time. Compton says her day job tells her something different. Kiefer says its a change in household size. Used to be 2 or 3 kids in a family, now 1 or 2. Demographics show that minority families have more kids, whites have less. He thinks that is a better reflection of what is going on. Judy says that low income is increasing and we need white kids to move in to certain areas of the schools. Keifer says that what percentage of low income kids in a school is appropriate is a philosophical debate. Compton makes an inference that the inner city is getting poorer. Kiefer Says inside of the school district is not getting poor, it is the most stable/had the least increases in low income kids.
SCHOOL DISTRICT BORDERS
Rummel asks about the committee. Kiefer explains it is a state committee appointed by School Superintendent. Kiefer says it is more successful to have good relationship with neighboring district and get agreements with them regarding school boundaries. Rummel says that districts are turning down referendum. He says those are the types of issues that helped them negotiate the agreements.
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Porterfield asks about open enrollment. Kiefer says you can apply, but not necessarily approved, both sending and receiving district have to agree. Some surrounding districts don’t have seats available – clearly that is the case at Middleton, Verona. Poerterfield asks about denials – used to have more denied, but a year ago a judge said that they had to stop using race as a factor in making that decision, even tho the state law says you should use it. When they changed that factor, the numbers jumped up a bit, but not by more than 100 or 200 kids.
RACE
19 of 29 schools have seen 20% increase in minority students at elementary levels. 6 had decreases or little changes. Middle schools have seen increases of 15% minority students in past 14 years. 5 had more than 30% increase. Says at high school 28% increases in the last 14 years. Porterfield asks about the alternative programs. They explain the alternative programs in the schools.
INCOME
Income is the single greatest predictor of student achievement. Over 14 years increase in percentage of low income has changed dramatically and it is in most schools. Total 20% to 45% change. Poverty is more at elementary than high school. He explains new families often make less than established families. Also at high school kids don’t apply for free lunch because of the stigma and he says the drop out rates go with income status. 23 of 28 says schools have seen a 10% change and half have seen 25% or more increase. Free and reduced lunch is 80% poverty level.
Compton says we’re talking about minorities and the fact that low income walks hand in hand with minorities. She asks if K -3 is working on self esteem. They say constantly working on itt. Compton asks if this is the same strategy being worked on with gangs. Passman says that they are doing as much intervention as possible. Kiefer says smaller learning communities is what they are striving for in high schools. Kiefer says the smaller learning initiative – there is a correlation in decrease in drop out rate with the program. Compton asks about minority and Caucasian level in free lunch. She would like to see that.
Income changes in high schools quite a bit as well.
They show the map of where the biggest changes in income have been. The Isthmus and near east and west sides have the lowest proportion of change in low income students. Those schools have gone from being the low income schools to the more affluent schools. Rest of the community has changed more significantly Southeast side had the most change, along with some south west side. Kiefer says that Orchard Ridge and Huegel right under Falk is also rapidly changing. Significant change in the vintage of housing that was the 50;s, 60’s and 70’s housing. Also higher density multi-family housing had a big impact at Leopold and Fitchburg.
WHERE FAMILIES WANT TO LIVE
Compton says the older neighborhoods should be where young families want to live. Compton says we need to revitalize the neighborhoods to get young families to move in. Kiefer says that they are trying to have family friendly/student friendly development and we are starting to see that. More 3 bedrooms or two bedrooms are being built to accommodate families. He lists things that make developments family friendly such as sidewalks and safe streets, accessible green spaces, need to be able to get to the school safely and easily, bike and pedestrian paths and initiatives that supports biking and walking to school.
Rummel says our schools on the near east are being threatened because housing is not affordable and the families are not moving in. Kiefer says that the possibilities are there. That is what they are hoping will happen, more families will move downtown. He says 20 and 30 somethings want to live closer to the downtown. He says there is potential. He says they were sad when Union Corners didn’t go through. They were hoping kids would be coming.
Compton talks about young families naming kids Emma and Eziekiel and they are looking for the older neighborhoods. She explains that was a difference in the thinking – no one understands what she is talking about.
INCOME
Clear asks if we are looking at the numbers correctly – could there be high percentages of low income people in districts and they aren’t showing much change so it doesn’t show up on the map? Kiefer says that because of the 14 years its not really a problem, it evens out. Clear says it doesn’t reflect the actual incomes.
WHERE FAMILIES LIVE
Olinger points out Allied hasn’t changed. He talks about how there were 350 K-5 kids in 1997/8, today there are less than 160. There were 600 school age kids at the time. That’s when the board changed the attendance zones to the 3 schools – Thoreau, Stevens and Crestwood. He also points out Allis – (which is a split district), The part on the south side has 400 elementary kids and vast majority are hispanic kids. Nuestro Mundo gets many kids from that area. Clear asks about the split district and they say that the attendance area has been like that for quite some time – it changed about 20 years ago.
Clingan points out that there are west side (West Moorland) with more modest sized homes – 2nd cycle of families is coming through. Kiefer says that Midvale population is not going up despite the fact that they have the highest proportion of single detached units in Midvale – they are small houses and affordable, but also highest proportion of kids going to private and parochial schools. He says it was because of access because to parochial schools are located there. Kiefer says they think the area is changing, that the Hilldale area has been an attractor for families as well as Sequoya Commons. Family and school friendly areas and he tells the city to “Keep doing that”. He is hopeful that Hill Farms changes will be good as well.
Porterfield asks where the middle areas (not large or small changes) are trending. Kiefer says Emerson and Lakeview not changing much, but Orchard Ridge and Southside are changing.
Compton says that Midvale area is changing because of the hiring at the University. The push is driven by the employment. She snarkily adds “those people” want to bike. Kiefer says it was that and $4 gas.
ACHIEVEMENT
Kiefer says that achievement is the other issue people want to look at. He says it hasn’t changed a great deal. Some changes in the aggregate as we become a poorer district. He notes the increase in graduation rate – the gap is narrowing. He says it is a result of some of the programs.
Compton asks how many kids want to change during open enrollment due to programs offered at the schools. He reiterates that biggest factor is open seats.
Clingan says that it used to be different but now the dollars followed the kids and it evened the playing field based on what was offered.
Madison continues to do well in Advanced Placement Exams – we are doing well compared to the rest of WI – equally by race. Black students has a noticeable better scores than around the rest of WI. Same with Hispanic kids. ACT scores have been relatively high, a year ago they hit their all time high. Even tho higher poverty district, student performance continues to excel. Our kids are doing pretty good.
KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Clingan asks about English learners – Kiefer says it is going up with the increases in hispanic population. Special needs kids are staying much the same. Clingan asks about special category of high needs kids. Kiefer, high cost disability is much higher than elsewhere in the state. Some of it is services and programs in the community, Passman points out the Waisman Center helps bring people to Madison.
Harmon asks for the power point.
Compton asks for the electronic copies of the numbers that Passman had passed out. Compton wants schools identified as where the special ed programs are. Kiefer says he will send the links for multiple years. Compton talks about people selling house in Cottage Grove and moving to Monona becuase they have high need kids – Kiefer says that special needs kids are served within their district. Very few bussed. Elvehem is no longer higher numbers of special needs kids. Kiefer says that people with hearing and visual disabilities is the exception.
Compton says we need to know where schools with high needs are so that we can makes sure the neighborhoods for those people are appropriate.
NEXT MEETING TIMES AND AGENDA
Munson asks about meetings. How do they get this done by January? They think they can wrap it up in 4 or 5 meetings and think they can meet monthly. Next meetings are September 15th and October 14th both meetings 4 – 5:30. They will schedule Nov and Dec later. At the next meeting they will look at the information the city has – studies already done and Neighborhood Indicators. In October they will look at the City programs, staff and committees. Clear suggests that they look at what other cities are doing as well. Compton only wants to look at where we built affordable housing in the last 5 years and how that changed the areas.
