2,300 Schools! Holy Sh*t!

That number, an estimate of the number of schools nationwide that are, or soon will be, headed for more serious consequences — like restructuring — under No Child Left Behind is setting off alarm bells. But, it’s really about two percent of public schools overall. And, with on-time graduation rates of about 50 percent for minority students nationwide, a four-grade level gap in achievement separating white and minority kids by high school, etc…etc…it is worth asking, those kids must go (have gone) to school somewhere, right? So, hard to see that as a figure worth freaking-out over. Besides, often, not a lot happens for these schools anyway.

That said, the investment, capacity, and political will necessary to really help the kids in those schools? That’s worth worrying about.