Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Another look at Edison

Tuesday, March 27, 2001 | 10 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

SO EDISON SCHOOLS have a lock to run seven Clark County schools this fall with hopes of operating, for profit, 17 four years from now. New Clark County School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia believes Edison did a good job for him in Fresno before he came to Nevada.

Critics see this move as the first step toward vouchers and its eventual drain on public schools. Others openly say, "Give us the same amount of dollars and discretion and we can also improve our schools."

Allow me to suggest that our School Board members put a little extra time into looking at what is happening in San Francisco before jumping into bed with Edison. If nothing else they can learn about some pitfalls to avoid when signing a contract with this outfit.

So what are some of the Edison pitfalls reported from San Francisco by Marcia L. LaGanga in the Los Angeles Times?

There is the claim that some demographic changes in Edison schools contribute to success the company claims to have made.

"But many here question whether the same hard-to-reach students who attended Edison elementary before it was taken over are still there. Critics claim that the student body today is more affluent and has fewer children with learning disabilities and that the racial makeup has changed ...

"Edison 'is growing in Latinos. Latino kids score better than African American kids in the district,' said school board member Mark Sanchez, a former teacher who taught at Edison before it was taken over by the company.

"The changing demographic 'is a challenge to their contention that scores are going up because they're doing a better job,' Sanchez said. Teresa Gallegos heads up a state-mandated committee that advises the local school district on special education issues. In addition, she works for a local mental health agency. She argues that children with learning and other disabilities are being diverted to other schools."

Then there is the charge that Edison is diverting problem students to other schools.

"When Edison was a regular school, children were bused in from Hunter's Point, a relatively poor, African American neighborhood. Students also came from the nearby Mission District, a heavily Latino neighborhood. Most of the children who lived closest to the school -- in what is now a pricey, dot-com neighborhood -- went elsewhere.

"Charter and magnet schools are attended only by children whose parents request it. Now that Edison is a charter, 'all enrollment is by request,' parent activist Grannan said, 'encouraged by aggressive outreach to middle-class families.'

" 'Edison's percentages of low-income, special education and African American students have plummeted,' she said. 'Its challenging students are dumped on other schools. ... You can't measure (improved test scores there) as achievement. Different kids in the same building is not the same as improving the school.'

"In addition, Grannan and Dana Woldow, another parent activist, argue that other schools in the district with similar demographics and similar problems have improved their students' test scores even more than Edison -- with less money."

There has never been a magic solution found to correct shortcomings identified in particular schools. Smaller schools, better pay, parental participation, longer school days and highly skilled teachers are all factors that bring about higher academic achievements.

Are we as taxpayers willing to provide these advantages in every public school? If we aren't, then we will continue to use Band-Aids like Edison that make us feel good but in the long run do very little to meet the needs of future generations.