Facts About "College Prep" at CHS

• Did you know the "College Prep" classes at CHS are at the lowest academic level at CHS?
• Did you know that the College Prep classes generally do not prepare students to be proficient?
• Did you know that about 3 of 5 students in the College Prep are African American?
• Did you know that the principal of CHS has called for the elimination of the College Prep classes?
• Did you know that the classes called "Enriched" generally do prepare students to be proficient or advanced?

Do you want your child in the College Prep classes at CHS?

Tracking is Dumbing Down the Children

1-The CHS tracking approach has failed. The CHS Principal and Department Heads all agree that it has failed and the results are that more than 1/3 of the CHS students are not proficient and classes are segregated by race.
2-The decisions on which level to place a student in College Prep or Enriched cannot be clearly articulated and are without foundation says the CHS Science Department Head, many parents and teachers.
3-There is a dramatic increase in low achievement by students as the amount of tracking increases from elementary to high school. Students are overwhelming proficient where tracking is least in the elementary schools and dramatically less by CHS.
4-Similar African American students are achieving at over 60% proficiency at the Abington High School compared to barely 33% proficiency at CHS. Abington High eliminated tracking.
5-Low tracking leads to low expectations of students, and a label of low ability leads to low motivation of students.
6-Overcoming the institutional push down of students is extremely difficult and rare for parents, teachers and students. A high school student in 2007 said that he and his family were "silenced" by the tracking. A high school student in 2008 said that the kids at the lower level feel "dumb" beginning in 3rd grade.
7-The parent who supports a kid to become proficient in elementary school is the same parent with the same kid who is not proficient in 11th grade. Parents should not be required to create student success against the odds in Cheltenham. Instead the schools should make academic achievement the universal standard, not an "opportunity".
8-Discipline incidents rise with bored and distracted students and decline with engaged and challenged students. Once kids are placed in difficult classes where they are expected to achieve the discipline incidents generally decrease.
9-Hard working students with average ability can achieve at the highest levels of CHS including the College Board Advanced Placement level.
10-Many students, parents, teachers, schools and community members are currently suffering from a low achievement lie that has been made plain by our Abington neighbor. The problem is not primarily the students or the parents. Tracking is dumbing down the children.

Child Advocacy

Please share your experiences in advocating to have your child's needs met within the Cheltenham School District. For example, has your child been moved to a higher or lower level as a result of your request to a teacher, counselor or other staff person? Do you receive timely information about the progress or problems of your child after you have notified the school that you would like to be told of any issues?