Sunday, October 07, 2007

Education liberation I love you

My column in October's Lamplighter is up on-line (page 16). This month is the education issue, and in addition to expressing my support for public education, I explain the process for obtaining choice and Optional transfers and getting your child into the CLUE program in Memphis City Schools. This is something I get asked about in person all the time, so I hope some of you will find it helpful.

*In case you were never an eight-year-old girl, the title of this post is from a hand-slapping-game song.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for all of the great information! I have been looking for the details of getting a transfer for my daughter (who will start kindergarten next year), and your article had all the answers! Thanks again!!

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about this issue quite a bit lately. Namely, I've been wondering how many people pursue choice or optional transfers WITHOUT really looking into their neighboorhood school.

I know that I've talked to more than a few people that started planning to "stand in line" for Grahamwood, Richland, Downtown, Snowden, etc., without even giving their assigned school a good visit, based on what the grapevine (or the test scores) say the good schools are.

I've actually heard quite a few stellar reports from parents about elementary schools that aren't one of "those" schools. I'm becoming more and more convinced that there are some truly under-appreciated neighborhood schools (especially at the elementary level) in Memphis.

But hey, I almost stood in line for J.P. Freeman! I'm so glad I gave my neighborhood school a chance.

-Melanie