District eyes program
Promise Neighborhoods effort would fight poverty
Charleston County Schools Superintendent Nancy McGinley is trying to position Charleston to become one of the first cities selected for a new national initiative that would establish comprehensive systems of support programs for children in low-income areas.
The intention of the Promise Neighborhoods project is to replicate in communities nationwide some of what's been done in the Harlem's Children Zone, a 97-block area in Central Harlem in New York City that provides social, educational, health and recreational programs for children from birth through college.
The goal is to break the cycle of poverty and improve education, and Harlem's Children Zone attempts to do that through workshops for expectant parents, classes for parents of young children, after-school programs, pre-kindergarten programs, fitness classes, a charter school, job skill workshops and support for high school graduates.
President Barack Obama began talking about Promise Neighborhoods during his campaign, and he's requested $10 million in next year's budget for one-year planning grants for communities that want to develop these programs. Grant recipients would be eligible to receive implementation money the following year.
"The core idea behind the initiative is that providing both effective schools and strong systems of support to children and youth in poverty and, thus, meeting their health, social services, and educational needs, will offer them the best hope for a better life," according to the president's budget request.
Communities can't apply for the planning grant yet, but McGinley has been working behind-the-scenes to ensure that Charleston would be a frontrunner for the money. She's talked with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, and downtown and North Charleston ministers to gather support. She's pulled research on poverty and school readiness and drafted a preliminary proposal that targets downtown, North Charleston and possibly Hollywood-area schools.
"We cannot improve public education or improve the achievement gap unless we recognize the issues that hamper our highest poverty children," McGinley said. "I am trying to make sure that when the (request for proposals) comes out that it is well-known that there is broad-based interest in Charleston. Unlike a big city ... we have the ability to bring this model to scale and be a national model."
The school district wouldn't necessarily coordinate the programs, but it would be the catalyst to draw down the money and link children to agencies and volunteers.
The grant would enable Charleston to create an infrastructure to expand existing programs and create new ones, she said. Some schools already offer elements of what the Harlem's Children Zone does, and this would enable them to go a step further.
"If we do a better job of meeting the family's needs, the children are going to thrive," she said. "This is for the children. ... My mission in life is ... to create a child welfare initiative that's sustainable."
Riley took the first chance he got to put in a plug with Duncan for Charleston to be a grant recipient. Every child can learn, but children who face social and economic challenges need extra help, he said. The school district has a "terrific" superintendent, and the community has the energy, resources and volunteers to make this type of program successful, he said. The community learning concept needs to become the norm, he said.
"We want every child to learn from a human justice as well as from a community success standpoint," he said.
Bill Stanfield is CEO of Metanoia, a community development corporation in North Charleston, and he was among the ministers McGinley met with about this proposal. Metanoia takes a similar holistic approach as the Harlem's Children Zone in working with the community. It's difficult to have a successful school in an unsuccessful community, and healthy communities make healthy children, he said. This is an opportunity to follow that philosophy and enhance what's already happening, such as increasing the number of sites and students who can participate in their summer school that emphasizes reading, he said. The tricky part will be creating projects that are sustainable, he said.
"We're excited about that possibility," he said. "I hope that this opportunity does come to light."
Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.
E-mail this story
Printer-friendly version
Comments
moonpie (anonymous) says...
MORE "programs for children in low-income areas" WHAT'S THE RETURN HERE? CHILDREN NEED INVOLVED PARENTS! DISCIPLINE IN THEIR LIVES, STRUCTURE, AND NOT TO BE RAISED IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE COMPLETELEY DEPENDENT ON THE GOVERNMENT. AS THESE KIDS ARE BEING TAUGHT NOW.
What ever, give more "programs".
May 26, 2009 at 5:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
karmann (anonymous) says...
Unfortunately b/c some folks won't/don't take the lead in educating, or at least assisting in the education of their children, the government has to step in and take control. When parents actually behave and take their role as a parent seriously, then we won't need government intervention to the degree that we see now.
May 26, 2009 at 6:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
Wow. Let me suggest in an effort to maxiimize the effort to build dorms or barracks to house the children during the week. Punishment would come in the form of sending the children to their homes and families over the weekend. This quite possibly could minimize the influence of their birth situation and deter bad behavior. Also, the parent(s) or caregiver could then devote more energy into their own education and jobs. It's a win-win proposal.
May 26, 2009 at 6:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mb300sl (anonymous) says...
No governMENT program can take the place of parental involvement...
May 26, 2009 at 7:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
PoliGadfly (anonymous) says...
EXTRA help, says the Mayor? So much for simply providing equal opportunity. Equal results aren't going to be obtained in this or any other program. You can't give a contractor, $100 and expect he'll turn out a $100,000 home.
Wasn't HEADSTART supposed to cure this ill?
This article tacitly admits the failure of that "program". Will the money spent for that failed program be discontinued and used for this idea? If not, do we keep the inflationary printing presses going, so govt. workers who failed in their attempt to effectively run HEADSTART and other programs seeking to address this issue , simply get rolled over to mishandle this "program", as well?
If the prior programs were such good ideas, as sold to the taxpayer in the first place, maybe the people running them should be replaced. After all, I hear there are currently plenty of others looking for work and career changes.
May 26, 2009 at 7:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
crankyyankee (anonymous) says...
When ever there is gubermint cheese available a new program springs up! Always has, always will.
May 26, 2009 at 7:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CompostandWourier (anonymous) says...
Symbolism over substance.
May 26, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
badplf (anonymous) says...
you want to break the cycle of poverty? Pass out condoms - it's cheaper.
May 26, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ln1959 (anonymous) says...
Posted by PoliGadfly on May 26, 2009 at 7:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the prior programs were such good ideas, as sold to the taxpayer in the first place, maybe the people running them should be replaced. After all, I hear there are currently plenty of others looking for work and career changes
--------------------------------------------------------
I agree with this statement one Thousand percent. It always seem to be someone in these programs filling there pockets.
May 26, 2009 at 8:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Luna (anonymous) says...
If you want the cycle to be broken, then you need to teach the children that there is another way to live.
We all say that we do not like our tax dollars going for this program or that program....but we also all see that there is something broken.
This is a case of "if it's broken then fix it."
You cannot sit back and do nothing and hope it changes all on its own.
May 26, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
issuetaker (anonymous) says...
Fix it? Yes, but as another poster said, not with failed programs and inept govt. workers who would be fired in the private sector for their inability to handle the job.
May 26, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wilyred (anonymous) says...
As time goes on the articles in the news will "all" be telling us how our tax dollars are helping someone other than the people paying the bulk of the taxes.
Won't somebody please help me keep some of what I earn?
May 26, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Numba10 (anonymous) says...
I see many of you using the term government--here is a suggestion evry time you think to use the word government instaed use the word TAXPAYER----then you will drive home to yourself and others who is really doing or having to support yet more tax spending expansion of the government
May 26, 2009 at 10:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
besttm (anonymous) says...
Of course they "eye the progrmas." Kinda like a dirty old man at spring break. So, now I'm going to be footing the bill for some other government flunkie to promote another form of social, economic, and educational welfare. Yippeee!
They've all been good ideas, but for one reason or another, they have all failed and now we are creating a separate and unequal society and educational system. Extra programs for one school because these children just can't quite grasp the concept, but not another. We need to examine why these programs fail in the first place and hold the progrms and their directors/personnel accountable.
Until parents actually get involved and until these kids want to learn, you will have better success dressing a pig in a tutu and teaching it swan lake. Wait, isn't there a governement...I mean taxpayer program available for that?
May 26, 2009 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
PoliGadfly (anonymous) says...
Yes, it's called pig in a polk cultural studies for swine. It will be implemented along with the swine oder study as soon as the bailout money is available.
Watch for it at the Farmer's Market next season.
May 26, 2009 at 6:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MontessoriMom (anonymous) says...
Let's throw more money at another project. I bet in the next year or two this project will be deemed unsuccessful, another project will be proposed costing taxpayers and yielding next to nothing. Stop throwing money into projects and start hold PARENTS accountable for the fact that education is not valued in many homes. I feel for the children. So many are products of their environment. Even if they wanted more out of life unless they have a strong role model, it is so very hard.
Throw more money at more projects? Are you kidding me? Get the parents in the schools, then and only then will you see real change.
May 26, 2009 at 7:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!
Full terms and conditions can be read here.