This Day in History: November 11

-The Mayflower Compact is signed in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod, 1620

-Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russian novelist, is born, 1821

-Nat Turner is hanged in Jerusalem, VA after inciting a violent slave uprising, 1831

-Nazi Germany completes its occupation of France, 1940

-Angola declares its independence, 1975

-Holidays: Veteran's Day (USA); Republic Day (Maldives); Singles Day (China); Women's Day (Belgium)

Were Lynners More or Less Likely to Bullet Vote?

In this post, the Lynn-side Edition discussed the pros and cons of bullet voting (only voting for one or two candidates despite having 4 or 6 votes). With Tuesday's election behind us, it would be interesting to analyze whether or not voters used most, some, or all of their votes in this year's citywide elections.

Overall

On average, Lynn voters left nearly 3 blank votes (2.85) in the school committee (SC) race and between 1 and 2 (1.38) blank votes for Councilor At-Large (CAL). It doesn't seem as thought the average Lynn voter bullet voted on Tuesday; the average number of blanks for school committee would have been between 4 and 5 and for CAL between 2 and 3 if this Lynners chose to bullet vote more often than not.

Ward 1

Ward 1 averaged 2.71 blanks in the SC race and just 1.32 blanks in the CAL race.

Ward 2

Ward 2 averaged 2.79 blanks in the SC race and 1.38 blanks in the CAL race.

Ward 3

Ward 3 averaged 2.77 blanks in the SC race and 1.35 blanks in the CAL race.

Ward 4

Ward 4 averaged 3.2 blanks in the SC race and 1.54 blanks in the CAL race.

Ward 5

Ward 5 averaged 2.96 blanks in the SC race and 1.29 in the CAL race.

Ward 6

Ward 6 averaged 3.3 blanks in the SC race and 1.65 blanks in the CAL race.

Ward 7

Ward 7 averaged 2.73 blanks in the SC race and 1.35 blanks in the CAL race.


The wards that appear to have had the most bullet voters are Wards 4 and 6.


While the pluses and minuses of bullet voting have been discussed and debate, in the end, it appears as though most Lynners used most of their votes in this year's election.

*Data taken from: http://lynnhappens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Nov-8-results.jpg

Lower Voter Turnout Seen Across Massachusetts

Lynn wasn't the only city in Massachusetts with a low voter turnout on Tuesday. For a variety of reasons (no presidential election, no mayoral race, not registered, general apathy), a low percentage of voters went to the polls in other cities/towns as well. For example: 

• Salem: 21%
• Peabody: 40%
• Saugus: 32%
• Holyoke: 38%
• Methuen: 31%
• Beverly: 44%
• Springfield: 22%
• West Springfield: 30%

Lynn School Committee Results

The results are in! Winning a seat on the Lynn School Committee for 2012 - 2014 are:

Rick Starbard (4,770 votes)
Charlie Gallo (4,666 votes)
Patricia Capano (4,339 votes)
John Ford (4,199 votes)
Donna Coppola (4,100 votes)
Maria Carrasco (3,971 votes)

Admittedly, the results of the Lynn School Committee race were both shocking and slightly unexpected. A bigger issue may be that of voter turnout. In Lynn, there are currently 46,639 registered voters; of that only 10,730 people voted in this year's election. Low voter turnout was predicted as this was a year without a mayoral or presidential election. Still, it is surprising that only 23% of registered voters voted in this election. Some wards saw higher numbers than others as Ward 1 had 36.5% voter turnout. My ward (Ward 4) was the worst with a 15.9% voter turnout rate (915 out of 5,766 potential voters). Living in the Highlands makes me particularly interested in Ward 4, Precinct 1 and Ward 2, Precinct 4. Ward 4, Precinct 1 tied for last place in voter turnout with 12% while Ward 2, Precinct 4 had a 15% voter turnout rate. These are abysmal numbers when compared to Ward 1, Precinct 1 which had a 45% voter turnout rate.

While voter turnout in the Highlands was exceedingly low, there was one candidate who stood out from the rest in this area. Maria Carrasco landed 181 votes from the Highlands alone; the next closet competitor was Patricia Capano with 128 votes. The wards and precincts where the candidates earned the highest votes totals are as follows:

• Starbard: Ward 1, Precinct 1; Ward 1 Precinct 3; Ward 1, Precinct 4; Ward 2, Precinct 1; Ward 2, Precinct 2; Ward 3, Precinct 1

• Gallo: Ward 3, Precinct 3; Ward 3, Precinct 4; Ward 5, Precinct 1; Ward 5, Precinct 4; Ward 6, Precinct 1; Ward 6, Precinct 4; Ward 7, Precinct 1; Ward 7, Precinct 4

• Capano: Ward 3, Precinct 3

• Ford: Ward 7, Precinct 3

• Coppola: Ward 4, Precinct 4

• Carrasco: Ward 2, Precinct 2; Ward 2, Precinct 3; Ward 2, Precinct 4; Ward 3, Precinct 2; Ward 4 Precinct 1; Ward 4, Precinct 2; Ward 4, Precinct 3; Ward 5, Precinct 2; Ward 5, Precinct 3; Ward 6, Precinct 2; Ward 6, Precinct 3

• Spirito: Ward 1, Precinct 2

While the results were not necessarily as expected, hopefully a competitive election season and the inclusion of one new face on the School Committee will lead to positive changes for the Lynn Public School system.

So how do you feel about the Lynn School Committee election results? Leave a comment and/or fill out the survey below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FY2LVLN

 *Data Taken From: http://lynnhappens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Nov-8-results.jpg

LSC Election Just 5 Days Away!

With the Lynn School Committee election just 5 days away, don't forget to read up on your options and make an informed vote on November 8th for the most qualified candidate(s).

For online information about the candidates, click on the links below:

Maria Carrasco:

• http://www.maria-carrasco.com/
• An Education Q & A
• Downtown Lynn Q & A

Dolores DiFillipo

• www.dee42012.com
• An Education Q & A
• Downtown Lynn Q & A

 John Ford

• Downtown Lynn Q & A

Charlie Gallo

• www.charliegallo.com
• An Education Q & A
• Downtown Lynn Q & A

Rick Starbard

• www.starbardforlynnschools.org
• An Education Q & A
• Downtown Lynn Q &A

*The other three candidates (Donna Coppola, Patricia Capano, and Vincent Spirito) do not appear to have websites and did not respond the above mentioned Q & As.

Is Lynn's Dropout Rate Really "Not that Bad"?

After attending a few school committee debates this year, a few candidates remarked that Lynn's stats (test scores, dropout rate, etc.) are "not that bad." Every candidate, like every citizen, is entitled to his or her opinion, but this seems like a somewhat weak assessment of the Lynn Public Schools particularly in light of the way that some voters feel about the school system and the school committee (see here). 

Of all the education related data out there, the dropout rate appears to be one statistic (in addition to MCAS proficiency rates) that parents and citizens care about most. So where does Lynn stand in comparison to other communities in regards to its dropout rate? Below is a list of the 31 districts (including charter school districts) with the highest dropout rates in Massachusetts for the 2009-10 school (which is the most recent data available) along with the actual number of dropouts and the total high school enrollment; Lynn's information is highlighted in yellow.

	Rate	#	Total High School Population
Boston Day & Evening Charter	41.20%	115	279
Phoenix Charter Academy	37.80%	62	164
Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter	33.10%	40	121
Provincetown	23.50%	12	51
Springfield	10.50%	737	7,031
Academy of Strategic Learning Charter	10.20%	5	49
Holyoke	9.50%	186	1,963
Lawrence	9.40%	311	3,297
Ralph C Mahar Regional	8.70%	42	482
New Bedford	8.10%	237	2,941
Rockland	7.80%	45	580
New Leadership Charter	7.10%	15	210
Boston	6.80%	1,196	17,498
Athol-Royalston	6.60%	31	469
Fitchburg	6.40%	86	1,335
Haverhill	6.40%	117	1,839
North Adams	6.20%	31	500
Waltham	6.20%	88	1,414
Oxford	5.80%	32	548
Somerville	5.60%	76	1,352
Brockton	5.50%	235	4,287
Chicopee	5.50%	149	2,713
North Central Essential Charter	5.50%	13	238
Southbridge	5.50%	23	418
Franklin	5.40%	88	1,622
Lynn	5.40%	215	4,010
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter	5.10%	14	274
Adams-Cheshire	5%	22	436
Spencer-East Brookfield	5%	24	483
Webster	5%	27	545
Lowell	4.40%	145	3,290

Indeed, there are districts in Massachusetts with much higher dropout rates than Lynn. Still, it is disheartening to know that approximately 215 students are leaving school each year in Lynn without receiving a diploma. The dropout rate (5.4%) along with the graduation rate (68.5%) are an indication that there is a serious need for improvement in making sure that all students in Lynn on the road to at least a high school diploma.

BUT...

To look on the bright side,  Lynn's dropout rate overall has declined in the last few years which is a positive sign.

Lynn (District)

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	5.3%	5.4%	5.8%	6.1%	5.4%
# Dropouts	231	235	245	249	215
Total High School Enrollment	4,366	4,331	4,244	4,084	4,010

Lynn Classical

Lynn Classical has seen its dropout remain stable over the past four years.

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	4.2%	3.2%	3.3%	3.3%	3.4%
# Dropouts	64	43	42	41	44
Total High School Enrollment	1,526	1,365	1,268	1,225	1,295

Lynn English

Lynn English's dropout did increase in 2009-10, but remained relatively stable (and low) before that.

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	3.8%	3.8%	2.8%	3.6%	4.8%
# Dropouts	58	63	46	62	83
Total High School Enrollment	1,527	1,671	1,635	1,705	1,728

Lynn Tech

Lynn Tech's dropout rate decreased in 2009-10 after hitting its highest dropout rate over a 10 year period (2001- 2010) in 2007-08.

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	6%	7.7%	8.8%	7.5%	7.1%
# Dropouts	69	86	103	80	63
Total High School Enrollment	1,153	1,118	1,165	1,066	882

So, while the Lynn Public School System could make specific improvements that decrease the dropout rate and increase the number of students receiving a high school diploma, the district as a whole seems to be moving in the right direction regarding this issue. Perhaps, saying that it's "not that bad" is not the best way to describe the current state of the LPS, but maybe we are not in the absolute downward spiral educationally, at least with regard to dropout rates, as people, both inside and outside of Lynn, tend to think.



All Data Taken From: http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/dropout/

LSC 2011 Survey Results

The LSC 2011 Survey asked six questions regarding this year's options for school committee, how beneficial the debates were and how respondents feel about the future of the Lynn Public School system given this year's candidates. Though the sample was small, the responses were both interesting and enlightening. 

 

How would rate the options for school committee this year?

Very Poor	Poor	Mediocre	Good	Excellent
0%	18.80%	25%	50%	6.30%

Overall, the majority of respondents felts as though the options for school committee were either "good" or "excellent" with one Lynner stating that "All seem competent and qualified." There were, however, some who felt as though the the quality of the candidates as whole was lacking stating that "...only two of the current committee members should be re-elected." An interesting remark given that 6 out the 8 candidates are incumbents.

Debate Attendance

The most attended debate by the respondents was the first debate held by the East Lynn Community Association (ELCA) at the Congregation Ahabat Sholom. Less than 20% of those who responded attended all three debates; most respondents attended one or two debates with the most popular combination being the ELCA and Highlands Coalition debates.

Did the school committee debates ask enough tough or specific questions?

Yes	No	Not Sure	Did Not Watch/Attend
27.80%	55.60%	5.60%	11.10%

Those who did attend one or more of the debates felt that not enough tough or specific questions were asked of the candidates in these public forums. Some debates were rated less informative than others as one respondent thought that "Breed was by the worst by far...learned nothing new there." Another respondent agreed with this assessment saying that "Many tougher questions should have been asked by the Teacher's Union."  Others commented on the answers given by the candidates as opposed to the questions themselves ("Too much blathering by candidates without giving specifics"). There was also the sense that many important topics were not brought up in any of the three debates. Topics that voters wished were discussed include the racial balance policy and the high ratio of administrators to teachers.

Overall, do you feel as though you had access to enough information about the candidates (through websites, debates, etc.) to make an informed decision for School Committee?

Yes	No	Not Sure
77.80%	11.10%	11.10%

Overall, voters felt that they did have access to enough information to make an informed decision for school committee. Those that responded "No" cited a lack of websites and online information by some of the candidates as the reason. One person said that he/she was not sure if there was enough information available based on his or her experience with prior school committee elections.

Voters have up to six (6) votes for school committee. How many votes do you plan to use?

1	2	3	4	5	6	None
22.20%	5.60%	11.10%	33.30%	11.10%	16.70%	0.00%

The answers to this question were by far the most interesting as 72.2% of respondents said that they would only be using 4 or less votes in the school committee race. While four votes was the number one response, nearly as many people said that they are only voting for one candidate. A relatively small percentage of people are using all six votes as indicated above. So, while voters overall rated the options for school committee positively, they also seem to be supporting half or less of the candidates. 

How do you feel about the future of the Lynn Public Schools given the current candidate for School Committee?

Pessimistic	Slightly Pessimistic	Ambivalent	Slightly Optimistic	Optimistic
16.70%	0.00%	11.10%	61.10%	11.10%

Respondents are, for the most part, optimistic about the future of the Lynn Public Schools given the current group of candidates. This was surprising in light of the number of people who only plan to use one, two or three votes. Comments included the following:

"Hopefully a new school committee will be able to deal with the superintendent more successfully...only three sitting school committee members appear to understand their rights as school committee members in overseeing the school department."

Some voters are hoping that a new school committee configuration will emerge. One respondent said:

"It is time for a change. Many of the current members have been on the committee for quite  some time and are partially to blame for this mess we call our school system"

The slight pessimism or ambivalence that some voters feel could be contributed to the lack of specific solutions discussed during this campaign season with one person saying: 

"All of the candidates seem to have a plan, but very few have a way to implement them."

Still, overall, it seems as though there is some optimism in the air regarding the future of the LPS given the two challengers in addition to the six incumbents vying for seats on the 2012-2014 Lynn School Committee.