By Kimberly Sullivan
The Escambia County School District recently congratulated itself for the slight increase in the number of A, B and C schools within the district. Unfortunately, the bar is set so low to attain an “A†grade that it means little. Â
According to the Florida Department of Education, to earn an “A,†a school must receive 62% of points or greater. To earn a “B,†a school must receive 54% to 61% of points, and to earn a “C†a school must receive 41% to 53% of points. As a student, if you receive a score of 62%, you get an F. Ironically, if you’re a school in Florida, a score of 62% gets you an A.
Overcrowded, Underfunded, Mismanaged
Escambia County is still one of the worst-performing school districts in the State of Florida. When compared to other similarly-situated counties, Escambia County underperforms. Our schools are grossly overcrowded, underfunded, and mismanaged. Even our IB schools have crippling problems.Â
Central among the district’s problems is the lack of support for its teachers. We place too many children in a classroom, many of whom have demanding social and special needs, and provide little support for the teacher.Â
A teacher cannot teach when five problem students frequently interrupt, won’t remain seated, and strike other students (all of which happen frequently).
A teacher cannot teach when five problem students frequently interrupt, won’t remain seated, and strike other students (all of which happen frequently). The teacher is too busy addressing the bad behavior of the problem students to meet the educational needs of the other students.
Classes should be kept small and students who require special attention should be separated, otherwise, the classroom becomes a glorified daycare, and everyone gets left behind.Â
In one particular school, to make copies, teachers must put in a request 72 hours in advance to use the school’s one copier, which is frequently broken.Â
Our teachers also lack administrative support. In one particular school, to make copies, teachers must put in a request 72 hours in advance to use the school’s one copier, which is frequently broken.Â
It’s not uncommon for these same teachers to show up on weekends with mops, brooms, bug and rodent spray, and other cleaning supplies to deep clean their filthy classrooms because the school lacks adequate janitorial support. Most cannot squeeze in a bathroom break throughout the entire school day.Â
It’s not uncommon for these same teachers to show up on weekends with mops, brooms, bug and rodent spray, and other cleaning supplies to deep clean their filthy classrooms because the school lacks adequate janitorial support.Â
Hallway fights frequently occur among the students and the teachers are expected to intervene. Last year, a teacher who attempted to break up a fight between students was punched in the face and became partially paralyzed.Â
Another debilitating problem plaguing the school district is the lack of community support for public education. EVERYONE in the community, including retirees and those with children in private school, must demand better public education. When the community holds its schools and their administration accountable, the schools perform at a higher level. Moreover, the entire community benefits.
Investing in quality public education provides a more educated workforce, which provides better jobs with better incomes. Higher incomes raise communities out of poverty. Higher incomes also create a more vibrant city that attracts diverse retail shops and restaurants. Pensacola has done a spectacular job transforming into a more metropolitan area, but Escambia County’s lagging public schools will continue to thwart the area’s growth.
We owe it to our children, and to the broader community, to provide every student with a quality education; yet currently, we are failing.Â
Life is not fair, it does not deal everyone the same hand, but education is the great equalizer. Education enables a child born into poverty to attain a better life. We owe it to our children, and to the broader community, to provide every student with a quality education; yet currently, we are failing.Â
Ms. Sullivan lives in Pensacola and Washington, DC and is the General Counsel for Dynamic Integrated Services.