Bringing New Educational Opportunities

Story by: Cherrie Hughes

I remember the feeling of anxiety as I scoured the Alachua County Public Schools website, created a schematic of potential magnet programs for my son and finally compared my findings with other parents at every possible opportunity. This was our experience when helping my son apply for 6th grade Magnet school programs. The experience was reminiscent of applying for college.

We experienced the highs and lows that are a part of any selection process – from the excitement of attending the open houses, the euphoria of the on-site shadow opportunities, to the anxious but resolve submission of the application and the lows of rejection and finally the relief of acceptance.

At times, the process felt confusing and we asked ourselves as parents constantly, ‘are we doing everything we can to help our child succeed? After all our effort and tireless analysis, we took a deep breath and submitted our application. During the process I didn’t dare to confess my anxiousness to other parents. I was afraid that there was a secret code to unlock the mysteries of Magnet program application and selection process. A code that everyone had access to except us. Afterwards, I did comically confess to my ‘mom friends’ my experience and to my surprise, I found that I was not alone.

For many African American families, the educational landscape for their children can seem even more daunting than my experience and impossible to navigate. As a result, African American families are less likely to consider their children for magnet programs. The consequence of this is a significantly lower rate of minority students in these programs.

In addition, there is an academic achievement gap among African American children performing lower than their colleagues in the classroom.

The Office of Equity and Outreach in Alachua County Public Schools was established in 2017 to proactively address those achievement gaps. The Director, Valerie Freeman facilitates training for Alachua County teachers and administrators, creates community and parent networks designed to make opportunities for African American students more accessible. In addition, her office supports the many programs designed to provide students who historically have been overlooked, the opportunity for enrichment, mentorship, and advocacy. It is because of the efforts of this office that the Magnet application process will look differently this year. More importantly the office is available to answer any questions, concerns or to help you as parents navigate what may seem a murky system.

Traditionally magnet programs have enjoyed a decentralized process that was wholly supported and orchestrated by the host school. That means that the school followed the County eligibility standards but had 100% discretion in which students were chosen for the program. The new change means that the host school will now choose only 75% of the new students to the program, while the other 25% will be chosen through a districtwide lottery system. It is designed to provide a centralized and objective approach in the selection of students to these programs. Hopefully, this new process will remove the bias that has historically excluded many African American students. All students are encouraged to apply when the new online application process goes live on January 8th.

If you would like more information about the application process and the magnet programs visit the Alachua County Public Schools site to find your program of interest at: https://www. sbac.edu/Page/29448. So, here I am again this year. I am better prepared as we embark on this magnet journey now for my daughter. The uncertainty is still there but thanks to this new process, I no longer feel like I need a secret code. It is my hope that the intention of this program will do the same for other African American students and their families in Gainesville. Here’s How You Can Make A Difference:

Ms. Freeman states that community involvement is essential to the success of these efforts. There are many opportunities to volunteer, mentor and to support the academic efforts of Alachua County Public School students who may need extra encouragement. To see a listing of District Wide Programs please visit https://www. sbac.edu/Page/2853. You can contact, Liz Starke starkef@gm.sbac.edu (352) 955-7250 ext 252 for more information.

Partners in Education https://www. sbac.edu/Page/2851: If you own a business and or would like to learn how your business could partner with Alachua County Public Schools contact, Kelley Kostamo kostamkb@gm.sbac.edu (352) 955-7250 ext235.

If you would like to invite Ms. Freeman to speak to your organization or group you can contact her at: freemavd@gm.sbac.edu.