GREENSBORO -- Nurtured by strict conduct codes, small class sizes and highly qualified teachers, graduates from the Guilford County school district's Middle College at N.C. A&T perform at high levels on standardized tests and head to college at an unprecedented rate.
The all-male academy on the A&T campus and a sister single-gender school at Bennett College have been cited as models for two schools that Wake County schools Superintendent Tony Tata wants to start as "leadership academies" by 2012.
Board members, who vote on the idea Tuesday, have been generally receptive and gave Tata the go-ahead to explore the idea. Board member Keith Sutton called it "a wonderful option for young men and young women in Wake County."
However, members were not advised of two facts:
The academies cost twice as much per pupil as the average Guilford County high school, about $14,000 per pupil as compared to a bit less than $7,000 per year.
Both academies' participants are almost entirely African-American. They're both located on the campuses of historically black colleges and universities.
"I am not an advocate for segregated schools," said Middle College principal Eric Hines, noting that admission to the schools is by application. "We take who comes to the door."
Tata's suggestion for the new, potentially costly academies comes at a time when Wake County has seen per-pupil spending decline for four straight years. In addition, the school board has spent about 20 months debating how - or whether - to ensure schools aren't overloaded with students of a particular race or income level.
"I'm not sure what we'd do about that," Sutton, who is African-American, said after an election forum Thursday. "If you open the school to everyone - those who are attracted to the school, that's who you roll with."
Donna Williams, a Republican campaigning for the District 6 seat in the Oct. 11 election, cited the academies as an innovative step forward by the current school board.
One of her opponents, Democrat Christine Kushner, took a different tack.
"There are historically black universities, and those are good choices for some students and families," Kushner said. "I don't know if it's necessary for that to become part of our school system."
Program had rough start
Middle College, one of several academies in the Guilford County school system, struggled during its early years after starting in 2003 primarily as a destination for problem students. The school was housed in four separate A&T buildings and relations with the schools became rocky when students were suspected of break-ins and other misbehavior, Hines said.
"They took the roughest of the roughest and placed them on this campus," Hines said.
In 2006, Middle College became part of the N.C. New Schools Project, a nonprofit organization whose backers include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Glaxo Smith Kline, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the Golden Leaf Foundation.
In a basement biology classroom last week, teacher April King, an N.C. State University graduate, allowed the half-dozen students in her class to shoot a mini-basketball as a reward for correctly answering questions on cell biology.
Students' appreciation
Hines emphasizes using teaching techniques that recognize that young men don't always learn best when forced to sit and listen to lectures for long periods. The small class sizes mean teachers are aware when individual students are losing ground.
"I used to struggle real hard in middle school," said Robert Jones, 16, a sophomore. "It's a lot less distracting here. In the classroom, it's pretty much more focused."
Jones and his friend Julius Smith, also 16, said the mostly black enrollment "isn't good or bad."
"It's just because of who wants to come here," said Smith, who hopes to make connections at the school for a future career in business. "It's just the way it is."
The boys academy has had a 95 percent graduation rate and strong showings on standardized tests. It has overcome its reputation as a school for rough kids, Smith said.
"In the past it was a school of negativity," Smith said. "Now we're hearing it's good."
Adapting idea for Wake
Wake school board Chairman Ron Margiotta said those concerned about the potential racial mix of the new leadership academies should instead focus on the academic benefits of single-gender schools.
"Our purpose isn't to create a school filled with any particular race or socioeconomic class," Margiotta said. "The only thing we're trying to do is to help kids. What people should care about is results."
One factor that could affect the demographics of the new Wake schools is their location. School leaders want to place the male academy on the campus now used by Longview School in east Raleigh. No location has been determined for the female academy, but one site that has been considered is near Peace College in Raleigh.
Students from around Wake could apply for the academies, but the buildings also could include space for people who live near the campuses.
Leonard Sax, executive director of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education, said Wake will need to ensure that teachers receive proper training before the program starts. He said lack of professional development is the main reason schools abandon the effort.
Sax downplayed concerns that single-gender schools are more racially segregated than co-ed schools. He pointed to examples in Dallas and Detroit where he said single-sex schools have drawn diverse enrollment even when located in low-income and minority areas.
"When you make the opportunity available and open it up to everybody, you can see how you can integrate it by race and, more importantly nowadays, by social class," Sax said.
