| In their May 8, 2006, issue, Newsweek listed | | | | provide. They say that maintaining quality is |
| their Best 100 Public Schools across the | | | | difficult and the coursework lacks substance. |
| nation. They ranked the schools using a ratio | | | | Proponents of Dallas schools' TAG say that |
| of the number of Advanced Placement (AP) and | | | | these Dallas Schools' students get more |
| or International Baccalaureate tests taken by | | | | teacher and counselor attention and the |
| all students within a school, divided by the | | | | children are less likely to get lost in the |
| number of graduating seniors. The 2006 list | | | | crowd, which gives the students an edge. |
| was based on the 2004-2005 school year. Their | | | | |
| aim is to acknowledge those schools that do | | | | TAG is one of the Dallas schools that is |
| the best job of preparing average students | | | | committed to helping students achieve their |
| for college, regardless of their economic | | | | best, encouraging each and every student to |
| background. | | | | aim high. They stress the importance of |
| | | | attending college and try to make the AP as |
| Three Dallas schools made the list with one | | | | much a part of students' lives as music or |
| taking top honors. Dallas schools' Highland | | | | hanging out with their friends. While only 30 |
| Park High School weighed in at number 18 with | | | | percent of high school students across the |
| a ratio of 4.735. Dallas schools' Science | | | | nation take any AP courses at all, each TAG |
| and Engineering Magnet took honors at number | | | | student is required to take at least one, |
| eight with a ratio of 6.275. Dallas schools' | | | | with most students taking more. |
| Talented and Gifted (TAG) High School had a | | | | |
| 14.128 ratio and ranked number ONE! What an | | | | Dallas schools' TAG and other boutique |
| achievement for the Dallas schools. | | | | schools like it have increased the number of |
| | | | minorities taking AP courses, increasing |
| Located near downtown Dallas in an | | | | their chances to attend college. According to |
| impoverished neighborhood, TAG exemplifies | | | | the College Board, which administers the AP, |
| how a school can meet the Dallas schools' | | | | four times as many Hispanics and three times |
| goals of providing an excellent education for | | | | as many Blacks took AP courses in 2005, as |
| each and every child. The racially mixed | | | | compared to 10 years ago. |
| student body receives a high-level of | | | | |
| learning that challenges each child to | | | | Newsweek cited Dallas schools' TAG student |
| achieve. TAG focuses on getting students into | | | | Fanny Frausto, age 18, who has taken 16 AP |
| college through AP courses, providing the | | | | courses and scored high on many of them. She |
| same opportunities to its students as the | | | | scored a five on her final three-hour exam. |
| wealthy private schools. | | | | Her transcript is definitely atypical for a |
| | | | public high school student, showing a |
| Some educators refer to schools like Dallas | | | | seemingly impossible schedule of classes. She |
| schools' TAG as a boutique school, catering | | | | attends MIT on scholarship in the fall of |
| to special interest while ignoring course | | | | 2006. |
| variety. Educators, including those in the | | | | |
| Dallas schools, have been demanding reform | | | | Dallas schools' teachers at TAG go the extra |
| for over 10 years; yet, they cannot agree on | | | | mile for their students. They assist the |
| what works. In the '80s, the thought was to | | | | youth in learning to meet deadlines, |
| make all students college ready through a | | | | constructing essays and organizing their |
| rigorous core curriculum. In the '90s, school | | | | time, managing workloads, and dealing with |
| choice and testing became the norm. Now, some | | | | the tension and nervousness students may feel |
| are calling for dumping the entire public | | | | during testing. |
| school system; while others see smaller | | | | |
| schools, class size, and a boutique focus as | | | | Schools that consistently have high achieving |
| optimum. | | | | students and programs were not included in |
| | | | Newsweek's list. Their ratio formula only |
| Even when a plan is working as it is in | | | | measures test participation, rather than |
| Dallas schools' TAG High School, opposition | | | | testing success. Also, due to |
| still rears its ugly head. Some believe that | | | | inconsistencies, the formula does not include |
| the smaller school loses the social | | | | drop out rates or state testing scores. |
| acclimation that the larger high schools | | | | |