To Close a School - A Decision Rooted in Data, but Colored by Nuance
On a recent December morning, a trio of education higher-ups arrived unannounced in the principal’s office at Public School 90 in the Bronx. The school would be gradually shut down, they told the principal, Patricia West. Incredulous, Ms. West, who has been at P.S. 90’s helm for six years, asked them to repeat themselves.
“I knew we had to improve, but I was shocked,” she said. “It’s like being told you are arrested and you go to jail. ...
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While I'm all in favor of school reform, I am concerned about the potential negative effect of school closures on the most vulnerable students. This whole decision process strikes me as too data-driven for such a complex issue, and the decision-makers should have spent more time trying to develop new programs within the existing schools, in my humble opinion.