Watchdog groups turns focus on Laurel High
Overcrowding, underachieving claims countered by county
By Dan Schwind
Posted 11/04/09
A Prince George’s County political activist group that challenged the Laurel City Council’s referendum vote in September has now set its critical sights on Laurel High School.
At an Oct. 27 town hall forum hosted by the group, People for Change, audience members — including several associated with People for Change — criticized Laurel High, saying the school is overcrowded and underachieving.
“The county ranks next to last in all achievement categories,” said Brian McDaniel, a Beltsville resident running for the District 21 delegation.
“We’re putting a lot of resources into the school already, so why put more?”
Robert Beery, representing Prince George’s County’s high school consortium, defended Laurel High, noting that while the county has lagged in state testing, Laurel High has made consistent progress and ranks toward the top of the county.
“Laurel has been fortunate and this county is lucky to have the quality teachers, staff and parents that they have at Laurel High,” Beery said.
“Scores have risen every year and the school ranks fourth- or fifth-highest in every category in the county.”
Beery added the school has a 1.2 percent dropout rate and 92 percent attendance, both acceptable by state standards.
Lori Rousseau, a Laurel resident, also criticized the school, stating that class sizes were too large. She questioned why the county hasn’t considered building a new high school in the Laurel area.
“Every year, there are more houses being built in the area, which means more kids,” she said. “The average class size is already too large. We’re overcrowding our schools yet we’re not planning new ones.”
Beery said the school system follows a formula that determines the number of students per teacher at a school. That number varies at each school based on courses offered and other factors.
He did not have the formula at Laurel High, but did say the school’s capacity as determined by the state is 1,870 students. Current enrollment at Laurel High is 1,875.
About 50 people attended the meeting, which watchdog group People for Change organized and held at the Laurel Boys and Girls Club.
In their opposition to Laurel’s special election, People for Change backed a lawsuit filed by Laurel resident Adrian Rousseau that alleged the election was racially biased by not providing more than one polling location, among other issues.
While the Oct. 27 meeting did include other discussion topics such as appealing property tax assessments and voting registration, much of the meeting centered on area schools and local politics.
And while most of the education discussion related to Laurel High, several others also questioned the school system’s use of SchoolMax.
PGCPS began using SchoolMax — a computer program used for tracking grades, class schedules and syllabi — this summer. But the program gained notoriety in August when thousands of students showed up for the first day of class with no schedule because of a glitch.
Beery said that school system administrators have continued to meet with the programmers for SchoolMax and “hope that it will operate as we’d like, soon.”
Adrian Rousseau, who spoke at People for Change’s September meeting on the city elections, also addressed the crowd.
He reminded those in attendance that he will seek a seat on the Laurel City Council in the next election.
At an Oct. 27 town hall forum hosted by the group, People for Change, audience members — including several associated with People for Change — criticized Laurel High, saying the school is overcrowded and underachieving.
“The county ranks next to last in all achievement categories,” said Brian McDaniel, a Beltsville resident running for the District 21 delegation.
“We’re putting a lot of resources into the school already, so why put more?”
Robert Beery, representing Prince George’s County’s high school consortium, defended Laurel High, noting that while the county has lagged in state testing, Laurel High has made consistent progress and ranks toward the top of the county.
“Laurel has been fortunate and this county is lucky to have the quality teachers, staff and parents that they have at Laurel High,” Beery said.
“Scores have risen every year and the school ranks fourth- or fifth-highest in every category in the county.”
Beery added the school has a 1.2 percent dropout rate and 92 percent attendance, both acceptable by state standards.
Lori Rousseau, a Laurel resident, also criticized the school, stating that class sizes were too large. She questioned why the county hasn’t considered building a new high school in the Laurel area.
“Every year, there are more houses being built in the area, which means more kids,” she said. “The average class size is already too large. We’re overcrowding our schools yet we’re not planning new ones.”
Beery said the school system follows a formula that determines the number of students per teacher at a school. That number varies at each school based on courses offered and other factors.
He did not have the formula at Laurel High, but did say the school’s capacity as determined by the state is 1,870 students. Current enrollment at Laurel High is 1,875.
About 50 people attended the meeting, which watchdog group People for Change organized and held at the Laurel Boys and Girls Club.
In their opposition to Laurel’s special election, People for Change backed a lawsuit filed by Laurel resident Adrian Rousseau that alleged the election was racially biased by not providing more than one polling location, among other issues.
While the Oct. 27 meeting did include other discussion topics such as appealing property tax assessments and voting registration, much of the meeting centered on area schools and local politics.
And while most of the education discussion related to Laurel High, several others also questioned the school system’s use of SchoolMax.
PGCPS began using SchoolMax — a computer program used for tracking grades, class schedules and syllabi — this summer. But the program gained notoriety in August when thousands of students showed up for the first day of class with no schedule because of a glitch.
Beery said that school system administrators have continued to meet with the programmers for SchoolMax and “hope that it will operate as we’d like, soon.”
Adrian Rousseau, who spoke at People for Change’s September meeting on the city elections, also addressed the crowd.
He reminded those in attendance that he will seek a seat on the Laurel City Council in the next election.
user comments (1)
user belovedcartoonmouse says...
Last time I checked, Laurel High was not in Howard County.
Posted 8:00 PM, 11.04.09 | Permalink
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