CCSD's Miller Raises an Important Question About Burns

The Charleston County School Board has agreed to pursue a plan that hands over the kindergarten at Burns Elementary, one of the most fraught schools in the district, to the management of Meeting Street Schools for fixing. The rest of the school will occupy swing space during construction of a new building for Burns. Board member Michael Miller has made a valid point about the other grades' prospects: dim.

It's easy to comprehend why Meeting Street Schools wish to start with incoming students. They are likely to make the most progress in a program that begins when they begin school. However, the district seems to ignore the abysmal record of the rest of its grades. Why is there no push from Board members to meet the needs of those who have already started school? Are they relegated to the low achievement of the past?

Further, how demoralized will the remaining teachers at Burns become, knowing that their days are numbered under the current system? The decision provides an impetus to find a job elsewhere in the system as soon as possible. Increasing teacher turnover at Burns will hardly be helpful.

The Board needs to look seriously at the ramifications of its decision on the rest of the children at Burns and respond accordingly.