Board puts off decision on Edison Schools contract

A vast majority of parents support having their children's school managed by EdisonLearning Inc. over the Clark County School District, according to a report to the School Board on Thursday.

But student performance at Edison schools is worse than that at normal public schools.

"These achievement levels are a concern, frankly," board member Carolyn Edwards said.

At the district's seven schools managed by Edison, an average of half of students are at grade level in English. Proficiency rates hover between 44 percent to 76 percent for mathematics but fall to 18 percent to 44 percent in writing. None of the charter schools operating under the EdisonLearning model met federal No Child Left Behind's standards last year.

Edison's Ronnow Elementary School hasn't passed the federal program's standards for eight years. In comparison, five out of seven district-operated schools with similar student populations met No Child Left Behind's bar last year.

Those numbers could have significant implications for the district's Edison schools because the district's contract with the for-profit management company is up at the end of the school year. The board must decide whether to renew a charter for six of the seven Edison elementary schools -- Cahlan, Crestwood, Lincoln, Lynch, Park and Ronnow -- for an additional three years. Elizondo Elementary School is run by Edison under a separate contract.

So far, board members are torn. A decision on the contract was delayed.

"The program's had 10 years to prove itself," board member John Cole said.

The district is pinching pennies and needs to see a return on investment, board President Linda Young said. Young argued, however, that Edison schools are in a similar place as the district, which is reforming to rise from its standing as one of the nation's low-performing districts. She argued for a second chance.

Edison teachers said they just implemented a new curriculum this year and need time for it to develop.

"I know that's the data, but they're my children, and I'm proud of them," said an emotional Sue-Ann Egan, an Edison teacher.

Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@review
journal.com or 702-383-0279.