NPR – Reema Khrais
“Students aren’t the only ones getting report cards these days. More than a dozen states now grade their public schools using the traditional A through F system. North Carolina is the latest to try it, and most of its high-poverty schools received D’s and F’s from the state education agency last week. At Allen Middle School in Greensboro, N.C., nearly every student gets free or reduced-price meals. Between classes, preteens roam the bright hallways that are lined with inspirational quotes. ” ‘A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent,’ ” says Principal Sheila Gorham, reading one of her favorite quotes from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “So straighten up,” she says. “So you don’t have to worry about people fussing.” Two years ago, Allen Middle School was told to straighten up. Students here had been performing so poorly that the district forced everyone — from teachers to custodians — to re-apply for their jobs.”(more)