Alabama Schools: Montgomery County Schools Aims To Identify Potential Dropouts Early

Atlanta Public Schools has seen its share of challenges in recent years, including a widespread cheating scandal that resulted in the indictments of 35 faculty members and administrators. However, the news coming out of this large school district more recently has been much more positive. The district has just opened the largest and most expensive high schools in Georgia in hopes of raising the district’s image.

North Atlanta High School

The New York Times reports the new school, which was constructed in an old I.B.M. building, cost the district a cool $147 million. With 11 stories, a massive parking lot, and breathtaking views, this new high school is sure to become a gold standard for the district. In an area where the average high school costs just over $38 million to construct, North Atlanta High School is sure to catch the attention of residents across the state.

This video shows the demolition of the old IBM building.

Set in one of the wealthiest regions in the state, North Atlanta High School will see around 1,400 students come from wealthy families. However, the school will also boast a diverse student population that is around one-half black, 27 percent white, and 20 percent Hispanic. While some students will come from affluent backgrounds, others will be homeless. The school will also have to grapple with low graduation rates that often accompany such a

A private high school in Illinois is raising the stakes on testing. However, the testing in question is not standardized examinations or even pop quizzes in the classroom. This school is adding testing for alcohol consumption to its current tests that randomly screen students for drug use.

Hair Test Detects Alcohol Consumption

The Huffington Post reports that St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, will unveil its random alcohol testing at the start of the new school year. The private Catholic high school has been testing students for drug use for several years and now will use a similar test to check up on students’ alcohol consumption. The alcohol test is a new addition, and the high school will be one of the first in the country to try out this new testing method.

“We’re adding this test because we care about our kids, and we want them to be the best God created them to be,” St. Viator President Corey Brost said at the Huffington Post.

This video describes how Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut, will use a $600 alcohol-detection device similar to a Breathalyzer to screen students for alcohol consumption.

The new test will use hair samples, about the width of pencil lead, to reveal any alcohol use by the student. The test provides information about students who have had two to three drinks a week

The back-to-school ritual has become expensive for families across the country today. While “public” education tends to imply free schooling, that is no longer the case for many cash-strapped school districts. Before you send your kids off to the hallowed halls of their neighborhood schools, check out how much that public school might set your checkbook back.

Mandatory Fees Add Up Quickly

Mandatory fees may encompass everything from textbook fees to the cost of technology. Although the ACLU takes the consistent stand that requiring fees for public education is illegal, the practice is becoming widespread as school districts grapple with budget cuts. According to NBC News, the cost of those mandatory fees can vary widely, from $20 or $40 a student to hundreds per student in some districts.

Gawker recently published a report that included a copy of a fee slip from a high school in Park Ridge, Illinois. The slip shows fees totaling nearly $600, with $300 for a required Chromebook that students must purchase even if they have their laptop or tablet at home. The slip also listed generic “10^th Grade Fees” at $114 and several smaller fees for textbooks and a yearbook.

This video from the Cato Institute examines the true cost of public education.

Extracurricular Activities Don’t Come Cheap

Clubs and sports are another area when many parents feel the stab in their pocketbooks.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently recognized Denver Public Schools for their work on an innovative teacher evaluation system. The new system, known as LEAP, received a new $10 million grant from the foundation, which recognized three years of advancements by the school district. Denver Public Schools plans to use the money to continue improving and refining its evaluation model, which has become an example for other school districts nationwide.

Progress Rewarded

According to a press release on the DPS website, the grant was given based on the district's successful progress of the teacher evaluation initiatives. The grant is actually a renewal of an earlier $10 million grant provided by the foundation, which was used to launch the evaluation system in 2011. The system expanded to include all schools in the district by the 2012-2013 school year. The new funding will allow the program to reach full implementation throughout the school district.

“We are very appreciative of this additional investment in the important, collaborative work we’ve been doing to support our teachers and to help our students achieve,” Tom Boasberg, superintendent of Denver Public Schools, stated in the press release. “We have worked closely with our teachers and our school leaders to build a system that develops and recognizes high-quality teachers, and positively impacts our schools and students.”

This video reports on the LEAP grant.

About LEAP

LEAP stands for