• 2021-04-14
    SoonafterstartinghisjobassupervisoroftheMemphis,Tenn.,publicschools,KrinerCashorderedanassessmentofhisnewdistrict’s104,000students.Whatmostconcernedhimwasthatthenumberofstudentsconsidered“highlymobile,”meaningtheyhadmovedatleastonceduringtheschoolyear,hadballoonedto34,000.Atleastl,500studentswerehomeless—probablymore.Itledhimtothinkoveranunusualsuggestion:Whatifthebestwaytohelpkidsinpoverty-strickenurbanneighborhoodsistogetthemout?
    CashisnowcallingforMemphistocreatearesidential.schoolfor300to400kidswhoseparentsareinfinancialdistress.Hisproposalisattheforefront(最前线)ofabroadernationaltrend.Publicboardingschoolsarehardlyanewconcept.Butpubliclyfinancingboardingschoolsforinnercitykidsisaverydifferentsuggestion.
    IfCash’sdreambecomesareality,itwillprobablylookalotlikeSEED(SchoolsforEducationalEvolutionandDevelopment),whose320studentsliveoncampusfivedaysaweek.
    Perhapstheprovocative(引起争论的)aspectofCash’sproposalistofocusonstudentsingrade3through5.Homelessnessisgrowingsharplyamongkidsatthatcriticalage,whenmuchoftheireducationalfoundationisset,Cashsays.Hisaim:topreventilliteracyandclearotherlearningroadblocksearly,sotheproblem“won’tmigrateintomiddleandhighschool.”Studentswillremainoncampusyear-round.“Itsoundsveryexciting,butthedevilisinthedetails”saysEllenBassuk,presidentoftheNationalCenteronFamilyHomelessnessinNewton,Mass.“What’sitliketoseparateathird-orfifth-graderfromtheirparents?”
    ItmayhelptoconsidertheexperienceofSEEDstudentMansurMuhammad,17.Whenhearrivedsevenyearsago,thefirstfewweeksweretough.ButMuhammadhasn’tlookedback.Hemaintainsa8.2GPAandreshelvesbooksintheschool’slibraryfor$160everycoupleofdays,whenhe’snotinhisroomlisteningtoraporclassicalmusicandwritingpoetry.Inspiredbyateacher,Muhammadisworkingonabook.“Itwasalongroadformetogethere,”hesays,“andIhavealongwaytogo.”
    “Inner-citykids”aremostprobablychildrenwho_____.
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