Van Horn proves it can rise from the ashes...Independence should be applauded for this! (credit)

[kcmo]

Van Horn proves it can rise from the ashes - Independence, MO - The Examiner

The changes, however, in the last two years cannot be described any other way than “remarkable.” According to the Independence School District, communication arts scores on the Missouri Assessment Program exams have increased from 16 percent to 70 percent at Van Horn. The attendance rate has increased more than 5 percent, and the dropout rate has lowered from 17 percent to 4 percent.

In addition, the graduation rate has increased from 68 percent to almost 95 percent in only two years and enrollment is up from 450 students on the first day of school in August 2008 to a projected 775 students this coming school year.

I have always stated that the Independence School district was doing something that most districts (especially those "highly rated" districts) would not touch with a ten foot pole.

They took extremely troubled urban schools into their district .

Why is this so risky? Because doing this would really change the "stats" of the district and as everybody can easily tell on these citydata forums (not just KC), people put way to much into those stats when comparing schools when there are so many other variables that people don't consider. I always find it hilarious for example that every metro area has like one good school district and it's always the wealthiest, most white and newest district which will shine with high stats because there is very little diversity (socially, racially, economically etc) to bring the stats down. So I guess out of 400,000 metro area school kids, only 18,000 of them are really in good schools. Always blows my mind.

Enough of that.

I just hope that people recognize this and give credit where credit is due. This is the kind of thing that can change a city and change lives.

Maybe KCTV5 can run this story instead of their typical Independence stories of meth labs, pitbulls, robberies and fabricated police brutality.

[famusdarlin]

I saw this on the news a couple weeks ago. My husband and I were so happy to see good news and "urban schools" in the sam news segment. Awesome. Thanks for sharing