Cleveland's single-gender schools lag in applications

Posted by Angela Townsend August 06, 2007 21:06PM

The highly touted single-gender academies opening later this month in Cleveland haven't made much of a splash yet with parents.

As of Friday, the district had received 222 applications for the four schools -- not enough to fill even half of the available slots. The enrollment goal at each school has been set at 120 students in grades kindergarten to two.
Cleveland schools Chief Executive Eugene Sanders said he's neither surprised nor discouraged by the lower-than-capacity numbers.

"We're in the first few weeks of our campaign," he said, adding that it is not uncommon for many parents in the district to wait until closer to the start of school to enroll their children.

Sanders launched the schools as a way to offer parents new options and give the district a way to boost enrollment. Warner and Douglas MacArthur elementaries will be all-girl schools. Valley View and Kenneth Clement elementaries will educate boys.

The newly built Warner Elementary in southeast Cleveland has received the most applications with 78.

Open houses are scheduled for this week at the schools, and Sanders said recruitment would continue until classes begin. The district's recruitment campaign has included distributing magnets, posters and fliers at community events around the city.

The district also bought ad space and ad time from various community newspapers and radio stations to promote the schools. Grants from the Cleveland and Gund foundations covered those expenses.

Sanders said he did not know an exact total of applications received for Ginn Academy, the new high school designed for boys who need extra academic and support services. About 80 students had applied a few days before the original application deadline of July 30. There are 150 slots open to freshmen and sophomores.

Cleveland Teachers Union President JoAnne DeMarco said the low numbers should not be taken as a reflection on the academies.

"I think [parents] will come once the word gets out," she said.

While it may take a while for the schools to catch on with students and their parents, they're certainly popular with teachers. The district fielded more than 200 applications for the two girls' schools and 152 applications for the boys' schools.

Once parents become familiar with the schools' benefits -- including a longer school day to accommodate tutoring time -- they will join the ranks of those who have already signed up, Sanders said.

"We're asking for patience as we begin to attempt to revolutionize our schools," he said.

How to apply

Parents must apply for single-gender schools in person at Jane Addams, 2373 E. 30th St., Martin Luther King, 1651 E. 71st St, or the main administration building, 1380 E. Sixth St.

For information on the girls' academies, call 216-361-8128; for boys, 216-574-8941.

An application form for the Ginn Academy is available online.