Page 28 - Performing Schools News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Hosted by the chamber of commerce. the president announced $900 million in grants to get help to schools that need it most. to be eligible for money the school districts must take drastic actions, reopen some schools as charter schools or shut down some schools completely. >> we know that about 12% of america's schools produce 50% of america's dropouts. we're going to focus on helping states and school districts turn around their 5,000 lowest performing schools in the next five years. >> general colin powell founded the america's promise alliance, the nation's largest partnership organization ...

Officials to get state funding for dropout prevention programs. and brought together african-american and latino leaders to help set up after school programs because when we help keep kids off the streets, when we give them a productive way to spend their time, then graduation rates go up. so that's a commitment i've carried with me to the oval office and today i want to announce steps my administration will take to help end the dropout crisis in the african-american community, the latino community and the larger american communities. because we know that about 12% of american schools produce ...

Requires each state to identify its worst performing schools and to take specific actions to fix them. but is wiping out an entire staff the most sensible approach? joining us now is deborah gest, she's the education director. thanks for joining us. >> thank you. >> ultimately, it fell in your lap to approve the firing. and did you. explain to us why this is the best solution to fix this school's problems. >> well, i think what's important to realize that it's of the step that the board has taken, that the superintendent of central falls has taken, is not just about the staff at the school. th...

Rate. we're losing more children than we graduate. >> reporter: central falls is one of the lowest performing schools in the state. of the 800 students, 65% are hispanic. for most english is a second language. half are failing every subject. just 55% are skilled in reading. only 7% proficient in math. meanwhile the majority of their teachers are earning between 72,000 and $78,000 a year. well above the national average. and the district says that teachers want even more money, as much as $90 an hour more for the extra time spent with students. this in a community where the latest census figure...

Improve test scores. >> we have a serious problem. you have a 48% graduation rite. we lose more children than we graduate. >> central falls is one of the lowest performing schools in the state. of the 800 students, 65% are hispanic. for most, english is a second language. half are failing every subject. just 55% are skilled in reading, only 7% proficient in math. meanwhile, majority of their teachers are earning between $72,000 and $78,000 a year. well above the national average. and the district says the teachers wanted even more money, as much as $90 an hour more for the extra time spent wit...