What you said about magnet schools

Readers had different responses to last week's column about exploring a magnet school in Iowa City. Some people were very enthusiastic, but others had concerns.

One reader worried about whether such a school would worsen achievement gaps between students:

Many magnet schools do have amazing track records. They show us what can be done with a set of dedicated staff, parents, and students. But they get to be selective. A magnet school is like private school, they can turn students away. The truth is, not every child has parents knowledgeable enough, interested enough, or able to take advantage of such schools. Not every child has the grades to enter a magnet school. Where do those children go? Who can they count on? They turn to the regular public schools.

She pointed out that it's the plugged-in parents who are savvy enough to take advantage of magnet options, not necessarily the kids who would benefit most. When those parents leave, they take volunteer time and money with them -- leaving a vacuum at the comprehensive schools, she wrote.

I agree that's not an ideal outcome, but I don't think it would be an unavoidable result. Reading through these Department of Education documents about magnet schools, you start to understand just how much flexibility the district would have in setting up the admission requirements, programming and supports. There are ways to create elite schools that aren't elitist.

Mark Nolte, who is Business Development Director for the Iowa City Area Development Group, has taken the magnet school idea on as a personal project. Next month, he's putting on a free screening of 2 Million Minutes, a film that compares U.S. high school students' educational experiences with those of their peers around the world. He hopes to spark a conversation about how we can do better.

Of course, better just got harder with the Governor's announcement of more across-the-board budget cuts. Syndicated columnist Paul Krugman had some interesting things to say about this shortsighted nationwide trend in starving schools to save a few bucks.

"Education made America great; neglect of education can reverse the process," he wrote.