That same 5% are our problem children who make life miserable for the rest of the student body. With all of the efforts we put out, we might be able to keep 1% of the 5% in the building and graduate. This takes away a lot of time and energy from the students who want to stay in school and graduate. We end up teaching to the lowest and slowest student in the room.
Exactly right. I happen to be in the position right now of trying to get my daughter out of our regional school system and into a private school. In our observation, the school system here is definitely geared to the lowest common denominator, seldom shows consistency in enforcing their own rules, and does little to promote education above the minimum required. And for this we pay better than 70 percent of our town taxes for the "education" budget.
We live VERY close to the bone, and will apply for all the financial aid help we can, but I will be taking a second mortage of sorts to pay for what we hope will be an education that will better prepare her for what lies ahead. The local regional system may be "teaching" her, but it sure doesn't seem to be "educating" her well.
