Be sure to come see the highly anticipated film documentary, The Lottery (see media kit here: LOTTERYPressPacket_021710 ), next Tuesday, June 8th at Harkins Northfield Theater. The documentary features four families from the Bronx and Harlem who are hoping to win “the lottery,” obtaining a spot for their child in the Harlem Success Academy (a charter school), one of New York’s most successful schools. The film focuses on the education reform movement and why public education can be transformed to help every child succeed, no matter race or socioeconomic standing. If you are interested in the topic of education, charter schools or school reform, this film would be very beneficial to watch.

A panel discussion will take place after the movie. Panelists include  Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien, Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll, Denver School Board President Nate Easley, and Denver School of Science and Technology CEO Bill Kurtz. The panel will be moderated by Education Reform Now’s Van Schoales.

It’s hard to believe that the end of the school year is right around the corner. Is everyone trying to firm up summer plans? How many of you have children signed up for summer day camp(s)? It’s amazing just how many camps there are available today. When talking with friends and acquaintances, everyone seems to ask the same questions regarding summer, like, where are you vacationing and what camp is your child attending. Today, there is a camp for every child whether it be for an outdoor enthusiast, a sports fanatic, an artist, an inspiring actor, a naturalist, or a musician. The difficulty is patch-working them all together into a cohesive summer program for your child.

Next year, we will, have to write this post in March since many camp schedules are available come January and February–some are filled to capacity within a month. Thank goodness, Denver, has a slew of these camps taking place all summer long, providing half-day or full-day options for your child. It gives the busy working mom a piece of mind that their child is cared for and the hard-working stay-at-home mom a much needed break. Camp is a good way for your child to be actively engaged, inspired, learn something new, take risks, and create new friendships.

I like to choose a variety of camps for my children to keep them well rounded and to avoid boredom.  Also, giving them choices (within reason of course) helps them feel empowered and allows for more anticipation for the upcoming activities they’ll engage in. Let’s face it, we’re not the ones going to camp, they are. This summer, I asked my kids if they’d like to do zoo camp again. They both told me, without hesitation, they needed a break from it. How can I argue with that since they’ve participated in that camp the last few years? A few summers back, I told them we’d be doing a half-day camp at the Museum of Nature and Science. I read them off a list of classes that were available for the week I chose and they decided on which class they’d partake in. It just so happens they chose different camps, African Dance for one, Animals from A-Z for the other (of course, one class was in the morning, the other in the afternoon). Needless to say, I schlepped back and forth four times a day to the museum that week! You learn as you go. Now, I will let them decide on which camp but they must choose from ones that occur during the same time frame!

I believe it’s prudent for a parent to narrow their camp options down to a handful or so while taking into consideration your child’s interests, hobbies, and talents. You also have to factor in expense as well. If you do a variety of camps, for more than one child, they do add up. It’s also helpful to find a friend to carpool to camp with.

Many summer camps have been advertised in the paper or on-line over the past few months. We thought it would be neat to hear from you about which camp your child will be attending or what camps you’ve heard of that are fun, engaging or unique. If you could provide the name of the camp, along with the website (URL), it’d be greatly appreciated. The sharing of ideas may give last minute parents options they didn’t think of before. Happy Summer!

Here’s a list to get started:

For the zoologist: http://www.denverzoo.org/

For the outdoor adventurer: http://www.avid4.com/

For the golfer: http://www.thefirstteeofdenver.org/

For the artist: http://www.asld.org/

For the scientist: http://www.dmns.org/

For the pioneer: http://www.fourmilepark.org/

For the inventor: http://www.campinvention.org

For the naturalist: http://blufflakenaturecenter.org/ OR http://www.myenrichment.com/Default.aspx?tabid=33693

For the creative camper: http://mychildsmuseum.org/

For the artist-in-residence: http://mizelmuseum.org/

For the next Food Network Star: http://stickyfingerscooking.com/

For the dreamer: http://www.dreambigdaycamp.com/

The William Roberts School (aka Bill Roberts) in Denver is one of four finalists competing in the “Why My Classroom is Extraordinary” contest put on by NBC’s The Today Show. The winning classroom wins a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

Please be sure to click here to vote and learn just how extraordinary Cheryl Beckwith’s 4th grade classroom truly is. What an inspiring story about a courageous, young girl’s battle with cancer and the unique way she and her classmates have supported other children with the disease (click here to learn more about Allison’s Stink Bug Project). This is just one of the ways this classroom is extraordinary.

You must vote today, tomorrow, or Wednesday and the finalist will be chosen this Thursday, May 20th. Be sure to spread the word and remember to vote (on-line only) by clicking the bubble on the left of the class whose video you think is most deserving. I just did! What a great way to support this amazing group of children, the Stapleton Community, DPS, and make Colorado proud! Congratulations to Ms. Beckwith’s 4th grade classroom–BRAVO!

PLEASE NOTE: Go to the DPS website to view the video regarding Ms. Beckwith’s class that aired on The Today Show Monday morning!

UPDATE: The Today Show viewers voted the classroom from San Antonio, Texas as the winner of the contest but a special announcement followed. Universal Orlando was so impressed with all four finalists and invited ALL of them to the opening celebration in Florida! Congrats to Ms. Beckwith’s 4th grade classroom! We hope they have a fabulous time at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventures in Orlando.

Although many teachers are opposed to Senate Bill 191 (a bill that would change how teachers earn and keep tenure in Colorado), lawmakers have voted in favor of it  (rumor has it, the Governor will sign it soon). When the Governor signs the bill, will this put Colorado in a better place to receive millions of dollars for the second round of the federal education grant competition, Race to the Top? Read the article below from the Denver Post to learn more.

Click here to read the article: Tenure bill on way to governor

Take action today to ensure Colorado children have great teachers and principals!

Due to a technical issue, some of you may not have receieved the correct petition link in our previous email. We apologize for that error. Please click through to the petition at www.greatteachersandstudents.org.

Dear friend,

This month we have a historic opportunity: to improve public schools in Colorado for your children and all Colorado children. A child’s teacher is the number one in-school factor that determines student success and the principal is number two.

Take a Stand Today

Tell Governor Ritter and your legislators to support the teacher and leader effectiveness bill to ensure every Colorado student has a great teacher and principal!

State Senators Michael Johnston (D-Denver) and Nancy Spence (R-Centennial) and State Representatives Christine Scanlan (D-Summit County) and Carole Murray (R-Douglas County) will introduce bi-partisan legislation next week that would provide more support for teachers and principals and ensure that the teachers and principals whom we rely on to educate our children are effective.

The need for this legislation couldn’t be more urgent. Almost 50% of Denver area high school students don’t graduate on time. Statewide, it’s approximately one in four.

Crucial votes in the Colorado legislature will happen very soon, and adult-focused interests are working hard to defeat it. Children don’t have the power to pass this critically important legislation, but, together, we do. If each of us – concerned parents, educators, and Coloradans – does our small part, we can achieve long overdue change for Colorado children.

Ready to do your part? Click here.

Thank you for acting today.

Standing with you for Colorado children,

Lindsay Neil
Colorado Executive Director

P.S. – Fired up and ready to do a little more? Forward this e-mail to five friends and encourage them to support the bill too. Thanks again for doing your part to ensure our children have the great teachers and principals they need and deserve.

Colorado lost out on the first round of the federal education grant competition “Race to the Top,” (see article here) but they are still in the running to receive $175 million dollars if they reapply for the second round and win. However, Governor Bill Ritter is frustrated with the initial results from the competition and is debating on whether or not Colorado should reapply. Although it would take time and resources to do so, shouldn’t Colorado take the next step in receiving millions of dollars for education reform?

Read the NY Times article below to learn further about this topic.

States Skeptical About ‘Race to Top’ School Aid Contest by Sam Dillon

A dozen governors, led by Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado, sat with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a hotel ballroom in Washington a few weeks back, praising his vision and gushing with enthusiasm over a $4 billion grant competition they hoped could land their states a jackpot of hundreds of millions of dollars.

continue reading full article here

School: Bromwell Elementary

Website: http://bromwell.dpsk12.org/

Type: Public-DPS

Tours: Call the school to find out about tours

Main Phone: 303.388.5969

Principal: Jody Cohn

Location: 2500 East 4^th Street, Denver, CO 80206–Congress Park Neighborhood/Cherry Creek Neighborhood

Hours: 8:25 AM-3:15 PM

Grades: Approximately 320 students attend (Kindergarten-5^th Grade)

Average Class Size: This school has 2 classrooms per grade level. The average class size is 26 students.

Before/After Care: The school has Kaleidoscope Corner as well as several unique enrichment activities such as Catchpenny Kids Theatre, Jr. Engineer’s Club, Learn to Knit, and Science Matters Science Club. Many of these programs involve fees while others are sponsored by the PTSA.

Facilities/Playground: Bromwell’s new Learning Landscape consists of a large playground with two areas of equipment.

In the back of the school there is a large entrance, complete with a trellis, making this entrance a warm welcome for people entering from the south side (Cherry Creek shopping area). There is also a large field for organized play and sports. A good-sized urban garden is located on the west side of the school.

Special & Core Programs:

Physical Disabilities Center Program (PD)—This program services students with cognitive and physical disabilities. The children spend time in their regular classroom and also spend time working with therapists meeting their special needs through physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language, and augmented technology training. It’s a part inclusion model. The school is fully wheelchair accessible (including parts of the playground too).

The Dance Program-This program is funded by the PTSA. Students participate in the standard physical education program along with this additional one. Dance is offered to students in grades 2-5 for 25 minutes twice a week. The program focuses on creativity, movement, exercise, and choreography.

A full-time Gifted and Talented teacher works with small, grade-level groups and assists the classrooms teachers on ways to enrich the curriculum (most DPS elementary schools have only a half-time G & T teacher).

Impressions: I arrived for a morning tour at Bromwell in late February anxious to see this school. Many parents have heard about Bromwell since it has won a lot of awards for its academic achievements that make it a popular choice for many parents. However, I was interested in learning more about what else this school had to offer.

A parent volunteer named Greg took several of us around. I felt it was neat to have a dad as our tour guide–a first for me! He was very knowledgeable about the school, the programs, and enthusiastic about the new principal, Jody Cohn. I was surprised that only 3 parents (including myself) were on this tour. It is Bromwell after all! I then realized it’s February and the majority of interested parents visit schools before the application deadline in January.

The school itself is on one level.  There were many student projects and artwork adorning the brick walls in the hall. As I made my way through the different classrooms, I couldn’t help but notice that each classroom felt small, almost cramped. Some classrooms I visited felt like a half of a classroom due to the retractable walls that separated them. Each classroom meanders into the next and many did not have doors. I wondered if this would be a distraction for children, especially those with attention or sensory issues. Our tour guide informed us that it can get noisy at times, but the children have adapted to this environment. With that being said, most classrooms were inviting, print-enriched, and cozy. About half of the classrooms were equipped with Promethean Boards, also known as Smart Boards. Grant money was used to buy these interactive white boards that seem to be gaining popularity amongst more and more elementary schools in Denver.

On the tour, I saw several children in wheelchairs in their regular classrooms. We visited the Physical Disabilities room shortly after and I saw a handful of children in the midst of their therapies. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this unique program exists here. As I stated before, I never heard much else about Bromwell besides it being rated “Excellent” due to the test scores and its active PTSA. While Bromwell doesn’t have the racial or socioeconomic diversity, I thought it was a great way to teach acceptance and tolerance through a disabilities program such as this. The program has been around for twenty years and caters to children with physical and cognitive disabilities.

One of the things that Bromwell is known for is its strong parent involvement. This has been a constant over the years. The PTSA tries to raise $500.00 per student to supplement the school budget each year! Much of the fundraising monies go towards the “specials” programming and after-school enrichment. I got the feeling if budget cuts occurred and the art teacher or gym teacher went from full-time to half-time, the PTSA wouldn’t stand for it. Fundraising money contributed to the beautiful Learning Landscape outdoors, the climbing wall in the cafeteria, and an array of after-school enrichment programs that I found myself envying for my children. Not only do they provide the standard after-school programs such as Destination Imagination or Chess Club but also many other unique programs.  I received a packet describing the different enrichment classes offered for the November-March session (they try to do 3 sessions a year). There must have been close to 20 activities to choose from.

At the conclusion of the tour, we met Principal Cohn. She came to Bromwell after 10 years of teaching at another Denver elementary school. It was nice to sit down with her for a quick Question and Answer session. I think it’s so valuable to meet the principal while touring a school. They can provide insight and perspective that a parent tour guide can’t. She spoke with great enthusiasm about her first year at Bromwell and her vision for the school. I gathered that in the past, Bromwell was a very typical traditional school with strong academic achievements and parental involvement to support it. It seems as though Principal Cohn wants this to continue but hopes to stir things up a bit by bringing more meaningful programming to the forefront.

One of her biggest goals is a focus on differentiated learning. The goal being the teacher provides instruction to groups of children at the same learning level. It’s a great way to challenge students or support students in their learning. The students are not tied to one group but instead will move around to different groups depending on their ability to master skills and concepts. Principal Cohn said she hopes to see more of this for different grade levels in both math and reading.

She described a reading clinic that took place recently for students after school. The clinic was funded by grant money. It was for children who were at or near grade level in their reading but needed a little extra support. She was amazed at the results of the students and the progress that was made in a short period of time. Principal Cohn hopes to see this program continue next year too.

Beyond the programs she has helped to carry out this year, she has plans to implement several more in years to come that will make the curriculum more balanced. One such program is Peace Days. She envisions older students (grades 3-5) mentoring younger students with physical education activities out on the playground. The program would promote peace amongst the students and emphasize their no bullying policy. It would also engage students of varying grade levels to play together. She also mentioned providing more service learning opportunities for the students, a Multicultural Night that took place this year, the Holiday Boutique, and launching a program called From Seed to Table that ties in with the school garden.

I couldn’t help but feel excited that change was coming to this school. I truly believe that one of the most important aspects of a successful school is the leadership. It looks like Principal Cohn wants to prove to others that Bromwell is not just about the test scores.

We welcome your comments and impressions on Bromwell Elementary.

I recently sat down for an interview with Jennifer Piccolo, a mother of two, who is starting a grass roots movement in her Platt Park Neighborhood to help improve their quality of schools.

KB: Please tell me a little bit about yourself.

JP: I am a mother of two young children, ages 5 and 3. We have lived in the Platt Park Neighborhood for five years now. We knew when we moved here that the schools were not up to par but we were hoping that would change in time. My husband and I are both believers in public schools. I also work full-time as a Project Manager for a technology company. I have an MBA but no formal educational background. Education has always been an important issue for me and I’ve become passionate about it since my own children will be starting school very soon. We lived in Dallas prior to moving here to Denver. My husband and I got involved in starting a non-profit outdoor adventure program for inner city kids there. It’s a subsidiary of the program, Trips for Kids http://www.tripsforkidsdenver.org/ here in Denver.  I enjoy running and skiing during my free time.

KB: What is the Platt Park Neighborhood School Committee?

JP: We are a newly formed committee working alongside 3PA (Platt Park People’s Association) to improve the quality of our neighborhood schools through community engagement and advocacy. Our committee started in early January of 2010.

There are two major goals on which we are focusing: The first is community engagement–engaging the community to support our local schools which include Asbury and McKinley-Thatcher (elementary schools), Grant Middle School, and South High School. Our second goal is advocacy for our schools. This would entail partnering with the schools to improve the quality of education while meeting the needs and expectations of parents in the neighborhood. The goal is to have more families choosing their neighborhood school instead of choicing in to other nearby schools.

KB: What is your role within this committee?

JP: I guess I would be the Director of the committee.  My role is to invigorate the community to get involved with the schools and various programs. I also hope to be a facilitator between members of the community and the schools themselves, including Principals of the schools and members of the Parent Teacher Associations.

KB: Why did you want to take on this role and what do you hope to accomplish?

JP: I have been talking about the issue of schools for the last few years with my friends. My children are of school age and I have a vested interest now. Like most parents, I want my children to receive the best possible education they can.

As founder of this committee I hope to accomplish the following:

• Improve quality of schools through partnerships with the principals and PTA
• Find the gaps and needs within a school and lobby the community and school district in helping address them
• Increase fundraising for the schools
• Find individuals to engage in grant writing to improve the quality of educational programs
• Start a tutoring program to increase test scores at the schools
• Improve school websites

And the ultimate goal is to help families see that our neighborhood schools are of value and worth fighting for! The hope is bringing the community together by collaborating with schools to see what their needs are and how the community can better support them. Also, talking with families to learn further about their expectations of what makes a great neighborhood school. The end result is coming together as a community to make this a reality.

KB: What steps do you plan on taking to achieve these goals?

JP: One of the first things I did as Director of this committee was to visit each of the four schools. I met the principals to educate them about our committee and what we hope to accomplish. We plan to learn the needs of each school then decide how we can best support them.

One school needed assistance with its website recently. I found a parent who is currently working on this project. It’s the little things we can address that can lead to the bigger things. We also helped with a couple of recent fundraisers for the school. I hope to create a database of volunteers from within the community who can donate their time an hour a week at a school.

KB: What are your thoughts about sending your children to an under-performing school and how do you think you can overcome the obstacles associated with it?

JP: Currently, the schools in our area are not only racially diverse but socioeconomically diverse as well. Our schools are not in need of the district stepping in to assist, but they are in need of a major transformation. It’s up to us in the community to make that change. I am an optimist. I believe we can come together, work hard, and make a BIG difference. I am a believer in school choice. It creates healthy competition. First and foremost, we as parents must look at our child’s needs then decide which school is most suitable for him or her. With all that said, to improve the quality of education at a school, it’s up to members of the neighborhood to take a stand. I am nervous to start an organization like this, since there are no clear-cut deliverables and outcomes that I’m used to in the business world.  But inaction is just not an option.

KB: What advice would you give to other parents who want to rally around their neighborhood schools to improve the quality of education?

JP: My advice is to just do it! I’ve been talking about schools with my friends for the last four years and now and I am finally doing something about it. You don’t have to know it all. I have no educational background but instead, a passion for quality public schools for my children– all children. Sometimes it’s easier to choice out of your neighborhood school rather than support it. However, imagine the possibilities, if every community made an effort such as this to improve the quality of education by supporting their neighborhood school. Since Grant and South serve various other areas, I’d love to hear from and work with any other community groups that might be interested in a partnership.

Thanks to Jenn and the Platt Park Neighborhood School Committee for taking on this role. It’s not an easy task and they have a long road ahead. The saying, ‘it takes a village’, comes to mind here. We admire Jenn’s passion for education and wish her (and the committee) the best of luck with this quest. We hope Jenn’s interview inspires other parents to get out there and get involved with their child’s school and education!

Take a look at what happened to one of the lowest performing  high schools in Rhode Island a few days ago. The school board needed to make some drastic changes and, as it turns out, they certainly did by firing all the administrators, teachers, and personnel at Central Falls High School.

The Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, supported the school district and superintendent’s decision. He, after all, is known for the radical “turnaround program” from his days as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools.  In order for R.I. to receive millions of dollars in federal funding for transforming its lowest performing schools, the mass firings was the option they chose. Read the article below to see if you agree or disagree with this approach of  turnaround for a low performing school?

(CNN) — A school board in Rhode Island has voted to fire all teachers at a struggling high school, a dramatic move aimed at shoring up education in a poverty-ridden school district.

In a 5-2 vote Tuesday night, the board approved the plan by Frances Gallo, superintendent at Central Falls School District, to discharge the teachers, administrators and other personnel at Central Falls High School.

The firings, which will be effective at the end of this school year, came after the district said it failed to reach an agreement with the teachers’ union on a plan for the teachers to spend more time with students to improve test scores.

A union spokesman called the firings drastic and cited a 21 percent rise in reading scores and a 3 percent increase in math scores in the past two years.

The school district said 93 people, including the principal and three assistant principals, were fired. The teachers’ union earlier had said the firings affected 74 classroom teachers and other educators, such as guidance counselors and reading specialists.

Central Falls High is one of the lowest-performing schools in Rhode Island. It is in a community where median income is $22,000, census figures show.

Of the 800 students, 65 percent are Hispanic and for most of them, English is a second language. Half the students are failing every subject, with 55 percent skilled in reading and 7 percent proficient in math, officials said.

In a proposal based on federal guidelines, Gallo asked teachers to work a longer school day of seven hours and tutor students weekly for one hour outside school time. She proposed teachers have lunch with students often, meet for 90 minutes every week to discuss education and set aside two weeks during summer break for paid professional development.

A spokesman for the union said the teachers had accepted most of the changes, but wanted to work out compensation for the extra hours of work.

The superintendent said the two sides could not agree on a pay rate.

Under new federal requirements for school reform, low-performing schools have several options. One is called the transformation model, which includes a series of changes that teachers agree to adopt.

When the negotiations on those changes failed at Central Falls High, the superintendent switched to another option: the turnaround model, which means firing every teacher at the troubled school.

Kathy May, a teacher at Central Falls High, said she’s disheartened. “I feel like, after 20 years, I can see some progress beginning to be made. And I’m sad that we’re not going to be around to follow that through, to push that forward.”

Gallo, who said Rhode Island law says notice must be given by March 1, said the problem isn’t solely the fault of teachers and it wasn’t her preference to make the move. She indicated that some of the teachers might be rehired.

“When we had to move from the transformation model, the next best move was the turnaround model. And that requires us to remove the teachers and rehire, of those who reapply, up to 50 percent,” she said.

“This is a major move, for a very significant reason, and that being that we couldn’t hone in on the assurances we needed for the transformation model.”

Asked what would happen if the teachers’ union accepted the original terms, Gallo said it would be very difficult to go back, but can’t be discounted.

“And if … as we move forward, if indeed something of that effect comes around, then I still think we have a lot of doors that could be opened.”

At a community rally before the school board meeting on Tuesday, supporters of the teachers slammed the plan.

Jane Sessums, president of the Central Falls Teachers Union, said teachers have been unfairly targeted and scapegoated and the union will fight to have them reinstated.

“We want genuine reforms, not quick fixes that do nothing but create a wedge between teachers, our school and our community,” said Sessums. She added that “teachers have agreed to numerous solutions and reforms.”

George McLaughlin, a guidance counselor who was fired along with his wife, a chemistry teacher, said the school has been inaccurately cast as a place with low graduation rates.

“We have the most transient population in this state. Nobody comes close to us. So when they say that 50 percent of the people graduate, a very high percentage of our students leave our school. They return. They leave again. They go back to other countries,” he said, noting that three times as many of the school’s students are accepted to colleges now than they were five years ago.

He also knocked the superintendent, saying she “has been with us for a little more than three years.”

If Gallo were willing to negotiate and listen to former Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who has offered to mediate, “maybe we could resolve this instead of causing more trauma to us.”

McLaughlin said the negotiations were about job security, not pay, and said the teachers are ready to resume talks.

I recently came across this interesting article from the NY Times regarding San Francisco’s Public School System. Parents in San Francisco, like Denver, have many options when it comes to their children’s education. However, if parents there are choosing public school, the student-assignment process is complex and flawed. The Superintendent hopes to replace the current system with an alternative one but this doesn’t seem to be easing the mind of many parents. Read the article below to see what I mean.

New Plan on School Selection, but Still Discontent by Jesse McKinley

After years of complaints from parents, the San Francisco Unified School District has just taken a serious step toward revamping its well-meaning but labyrinthine student-assignment system, which decides the educational homes for tens of thousands of children.

The current system — designed to meet the terms of a settlement in a long-fought federal desegregation case — involves a complicated computer algorithm that creates student “profiles,” using various economic and educational factors, with the aim of sending students of different backgrounds to the same schools.

It has resulted instead in more segregation and has aggravated parents to a point where efforts to manipulate the system have become endemic.

This month, the school district rolled out a new plan. It is designed to more closely consider proximity between a student’s home and classroom. It is to be applied to every child headed for kindergarten.

And once again, no one seems completely happy.

“I’ll be honest with you; we’re really frustrated,” said Michelle Menegaz, the chairwoman of the Parent Advisory Council, which was established by the school board and has made recommendations on how to fix the assignment system. “We’re really concerned that what’s being put forward now doesn’t reflect the best of our research and it doesn’t reflect the needs the community expressed.”

What everyone agrees on is that the current system is broken. In a quarter of San Francisco’s public schools, more than 60 percent of the student body is of a single race, and academic performance by black, Latino and Samoan students continues to lag. In theory, parents choose up to seven schools for their child, but 20 percent of kindergarteners get none of their parents’ choices.

All of which has been a boon for private schools; San Francisco has a larger percentage of students in private schools — nearly 3 out of 10 — than any other major city in the state. Others families simply move away.

And while advocates of the new plan say it offers more flexibility and simplicity, whether that will be the case is unclear.

At a school board meeting on Wednesday, Commissioner Jill Wynns seemed perplexed as to whether the plan would meet the board’s elusive goals of diversity and transparency.

“If you don’t know it can be done,” Ms. Wynn said of the redesign team, “how can we trust it will be done?”

Such questions are ringing in the ears of parents throughout the city, especially those — like this reporter — who have a child entering kindergarten in the fall.

Here is how the current system works: Let’s say a 5-year-old — we’ll call him Jake, like my son — wants to go to kindergarten. His parents fill out an application and list seven schools they prefer.

The more desirable schools get more applications than they have seats; in some cases that ratio is 20 to 1. That’s where the Diversity Index comes in. Known as “the lottery,” the index uses five factors to determine a child’s profile: poverty level, socio-economic status, English-language proficiency, academic achievement and, for upper grades, the quality of the student’s previous school.

Once that profile is built, the child is placed in one of his selected schools, in a class of students whose collective profile is as different from his own profile as possible. As each child is added, the class profile is adjusted, and more “most different” children are placed. Students living near their selected schools are considered first. The district also gives preference to children who have siblings at the same school and apply on time.

But there is no guarantee that a child will get in a selected school. And once the lottery has filled all the slots, those soon-to-be kindergartners who get into none of their choices are offered a place in a school with open positions. Proximity to their home and transportation are considered.

Designed to be race-neutral, the system has instead been widely criticized as too complex and opaque. “It’s all magic and voodoo,” Ms. Menegaz said, only half joking.

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