To The Editor:
This letter is our response to Mr. Tim Dwyer, president of the Dedham teachers’ union, Dedham Education Association, and his views about school grants such as Mass Insight and Race to the Top.
Economic times have changed. Towns can no longer depend solely on tax-payer monies, or state and federal monies to financially support public schools. We live in a time where we are all forced to be more flexible and more resourceful than ever. Students today need to be more prepared to face a global competitive market.
With limited taxpayer dollars, public schools must be more creative and seek alternative funding sources to expand programs. It is not unusual to apply and then accept private money from corporations, such as the Mass Insight grant money from Bill and Melinda Gates and Exxon Mobil foundations. These grants, much like federal and state grants, have benchmarks that must be met in order to receive the funds.
Last week, the school administration and several staff members presented an update to the school committee regarding the Mass Insight grant that Dedham High School has been so fortunate to receive. We encourage all Dedham residents to tune into this discussion on cable. You can hear for yourselves the student successes in AP English, AP Math, AP Science and how this benefits all Dedham high school students.
A high school is judged by the number of AP classes they offer and how well students fare on these exams, which in turn affects college acceptances. This grant is already transforming the direction of Dedham High. More students are exposed to a more demanding curriculum; they have an opportunity to pass the AP exam and earn college credits; and possibly save their parents money on college tuition.
Mass Insight is an extraordinary incentive program for high school students at a time when Dedham is cash strapped.
It has been stated that the Avery School vote was “a no-brainer” decision since the State is reimbursing Dedham 48 percent of the building costs. Accepting the Mass Insight AP Initiative, other future monies from private corporations and from the DOE, such as Race to the Top, are also “no-brainers.’’
Denying outside funding for public schools only denies and hinders one group – the students.
From Dedham Parents,
Jackie Burkett, David and Bettie Kilcoyne, Kim Rutherford, Peter Springer, Diane DiBiasio, Dave Walko and Susan Butler Walko, Katherine A. Lynch, Thomas V. Peters, Bill and Marie Rose, Ronnie Alger and Lynne Canavan
