Open Zoning for Students

[osunut2]

I believe that both Maryville and Alcoa are city schools and because of that they can offer tuition to county students.

Bingo.

 

I think the reasoning that Alcoa/Maryville city school systems use is the 'more academic opportunities' card. Yes, it is true that in some cases, one school system can offer a student additional academic opportunities versus another school system in the same locale. As a supporter of more AP classes and college-prep opportunities, I think that if a student is given the chance to better his/her education, there should be no hesitation. However, it becomes a double-edged sword, since other students can take advantage of that same reasoning in order to play sports for another school. According to Maryville HS principal Ken Jarnagin, "a limited number of non [city] residents" are eligible to attend Maryville city schools. He would not comment whether these students had to be from Blount County or not.

 

The Knox County school system decided to ultimately eliminate the 'transfer student' problem that once plagued the county before, and now, it would essentially take a letter from the Governor himself to allow a student to transfer from one school to another, within Knox County (with the exception of private schools, of course). I guess my only beef with the idea of truition students is pretty simple. Are the academic opportunities that are offered at Heritage & William Blount that different from those offered at Maryville & Alcoa? I would love to hear some thoughts from others on this.

Edited December 11, 2006 by osunut2

[onewaytoplay]

How do we feel about a open zone multiplier? 1.2,1.3 something like that.

[GovMan]

Bingo.

 

I think the reasoning that Alcoa/Maryville city school systems use is the 'more academic opportunities' card. Yes, it is true that in some cases, one school system can offer a student additional academic opportunities versus another school system in the same locale. As a supporter of more AP classes and college-prep opportunities, I think that if a student is given the chance to better his/her education, there should be no hesitation. However, it becomes a double-edged sword, since other students can take advantage of that same reasoning in order to play sports for another school. According to Maryville HS principal Ken Jarnagin, "a limited number of non [city] residents" are eligible to attend Maryville city schools. He would not comment whether these students had to be from Blount County or not.

 

The Knox County school system decided to ultimately eliminate the 'transfer student' problem that once plagued the county before, and now, it would essentially take a letter from the Governor himself to allow a student to transfer from one school to another, within Knox County (with the exception of private schools, of course). I guess my only beef with the idea of truition students is pretty simple. Are the academic opportunities that are offered at Heritage & William Blount that different from those offered at Maryville & Alcoa? I would love to hear some thoughts from others on this.

 

Traditionally, the students in the Maryville City schools score higher on state tests than those kids from the Blount County system. There are several reasons for this I believe ... resources available, earlier offerings in things like foreign language, fine arts, etc., higher teacher's pay scale which has drawn many really good county teachers to the city system, demographics of family's whose kids attend the respective schools, just to name a few possibilities. Wm. Blount and Heritage have really made great progress in offering Honors and A.P. classes. Both schools have shown steady gains each year statewide in test scores.

 

I believe overall, Maryville does a better job of preparing their student body across the board for college, but I believe there are segments of students at both WB and Heritage that would compete in the upper echelon academically at Maryville.

 

I know of one student in particular right now at WB who scored a 33 on the ACT; 1300+ on the SAT; received commendation as a National Merit student; and who appears to have full scholarship offers from at least three colleges at this time. It just goe to show that a student can achieve great things at any school if they work hard at it.

 

I agree with whoever said that academics, music, or athletics could all be valid reasons to pay tution or make a move to get you kid in a certain school. I just laugh sometimes at those I've known in the past that have tried to play the "academics" card when everyone--and their brother--knew if was a football decision. If it's for football ... GREAT ... just go ahead and own it!

Edited December 11, 2006 by GovMan

[mikey65]

Why should we not all students to go to school where ever they want? We do it for college, why not high school?

[osunut2]

Why should we not all students to go to school where ever they want? We do it for college, why not high school?

Why not instead attend a private/parochial school? I guess that there aren't private schools in every county, but that's another reason why Knox County forces you to go to the school you are zoned for. If you want to go somewhere else, either move or fork over the cash to go to a school like Webb, Catholic, or CAK.

[inthezone]

 

I believe overall, Maryville does a better job of preparing their student body across the board for college, but I believe there are segments of students at both WB and Heritage that would compete in the upper echelon academically at Maryville.

 

 

 

Govman where is your data to back this up? The single biggest factor in a students academic success is the economic condition of their parents. Check every school in the state of Tennessee and this is backed up. Check the difference in ACT scores at the schools. It probably is not as great as you think.

I know the county has had at least 1 perfect score on the ACT. So don't say the county schools are not preparing students for college.

People prepare themselves for what they want to succeed at so open zone all you want.

Govman WB should take back your diploma for this post.

[mcwrestler]

You get out of an education what you put in, whether you go to a county school or a city school. Difference is some schools may push a kid more, but at a different school the kid may have to push himself instead of school pushing kid. It is all up to the individual, but if I am looking to get prepared for college I am looking at Alcoa/Maryville, but the county school has a superb vocational system. I have talked to people who attended local county school and the workload they said was not adequate to what they had to do in college. The amount of papers written and so on was alot different than that of city schools. That does not mean the kids cannot excel, they just have to push themselves. A kid must put in effort to do well, and it is up to him how he does in school, not up to his economic status. GOVMAN mentioned that students from WB and heritage could be near the top of the class at Maryville. We are not saying the students are dumb, just the schools prep is less than others in some cases. Open zoning allows people to find the best situation for their kid. Academics should allows be ahead of athletics, but it makes sense to play with better coaches. Kids want the best of both worlds. Open zoning allows it. I know people will give the academic excuse just to play football, but can you blame them. If I thought I had a future in football I would pick a Maryville/Alcoa over heritage anyday. Now that my rant is over I have 3 finals tommorow I should really be getting ready for.

Edited December 11, 2006 by mcwrestler

[FBFan2001]

In Hamilton Co. (Chattanooga). If a student wants to attend a school they are not zoned for then they must get a hardship signed by the principal from school A and school B. The defect in the system is that if one principal refuses to sign off then the parents just go directly to the school board and get it approved anyway. I would say that in Hamilton Co. the reasons for attending a different school are 80% athletic to 20% academic.

[CHS 2007]

CHS...the only students in the county that can choose to come to CHS are Franklin students only at this time. CHs is closed to all other zones.

 

Indy and Ravenwood are NOT open zoned for anyone at this time...nor will they be under the current circumstances.

 

Open zoning in WC has more to do with student populations...prevent over-crowded schools and fill empty classrooms in less populated schools.

No, there are a few zoned for Indy and Page that go to the school that weren't part of the "grandfathering in" process. And there are students zoned for Centennial that go to Ravenwood.

[GovMan]

Govman where is your data to back this up? The single biggest factor in a students academic success is the economic condition of their parents. Check every school in the state of Tennessee and this is backed up. Check the difference in ACT scores at the schools. It probably is not as great as you think.

I know the county has had at least 1 perfect score on the ACT. So don't say the county schools are not preparing students for college.

People prepare themselves for what they want to succeed at so open zone all you want.

Govman WB should take back your diploma for this post.

 

IntheZone,

 

Maybe Heritage should take back yours for putting words in my mouth. Did you read my post? Where did i say "the county schools are not preparing students for college?" I simply said that across the board, Maryville does a better job of preparing their kids for college. Maybe what I should have said, is they "send more kids to college" and have more kids receive scholarships. I didn't mean to offend or knock county schools--or school teachers. I'm a huge supporter of Blount County schools. I live in the city and send my kids to WB. I do not disagree with anything you say in your post ... it makes sense to me. I even made and gave an example of your point: "People prepare themselves for what they want to succeed at...". I know of several students at both WB and Heritage who are exemplary students. I know of one in particular at WB that I'd put put up academic-wise against any student from any school.

 

MCWrestler, I believe at WB or Heritage, if you choose to do all honors, AP, and college credit stuff they offer, your "work load" will rival that of Maryville's program. Maybe it's that next level down, when you just do the standard stuff, that discrepancy in workload shows up. I don't know that for a fact though.

[osunut2]

MCWrestler, I believe at WB or Heritage, if you choose to do all honors, AP, and college credit stuff they offer, your "work load" will rival that of Maryville's program. Maybe it's that next level down, when you just do the standard stuff, that discrepancy in workload shows up. I don't know that for a fact though.

You are exactly right. Most schools offer some kind of honors/AP course system these days, and that's really the only way to trully prepare you for the college experience. College-prep/standard courses might be the biggest oxymoron of them all, because they do not prepare you for the true college classroom experience at all. If you want to trully excel on the high school level and prepare yourself for college at the same time, you almost have to participate in honors/AP courses. It's the only way to guarantee yourself a college-like workload (for the most part).

[rwood2008]

Centennial allows open zoning as does Independence as does Ravenwood as does Franklin....so, Williamson County allows open zoning.

 

I go to Ravenwood... it doesn't allow open zoning

like someone else who said it before, I think its only Brentwood and Fairview