Recognizing Women artists Essay Example for Free

Recognizing Women artists Essay Linda Nochlin’s article tries to bring to light the differences that exist between men and women art and how this disparity has been linked to the distinct nature of men and women. However, Nochlin believes that the differences that may exist in art do not come about as a result of ones gender but rather these discrepancies are influenced by particular social institutions. This, Nochlin says, is because art develops in a specific social situation and that it is usually a fundamental component of that social structure. Nochlin further explains that art can not be considered a free self-directed activity that can be influenced by social forces since it crops up in a social situation, gender, previous artists and other things normally considered influential notwithstanding (Nochlin, 1988, pp. 147-158). As a result therefore, Nochlin states how feminity does not count when it comes to evaluation of great artists. Therefore Nochlin defines the background of some of the great artists like Picasso who came from already artist families. Nochlin also cites how the works of Redon and Corot, both male, had a feminist touch thus it could not be concluded that women art should be classified according to its own standards. This argument makes sense because art is not gender based; rather it is learned through teaching, apprenticeship or even from a long experience period (Nochlin, 1988, pp. 147-158). I agree with Nochlin’s reasoning because one can not classify art as masculine or feminine. When one sees a piece of art, what comes out is the expression captured in that piece of work and not the masculine or feminine touch in it. Therefore Nochlin’s argument is sound because even if it is assumed that women artists are inward-looking, delicate and nuanced in their art pieces, other male artists also exude such characteristics in their work. For instance Redon’s pieces were inward turning and Corot’s art was also delicate and nuanced (Nochlin, 1988, pp. 147-158). Nochlin’s position relies upon the assumptions that great art is a result of intelligence and talent. It is not merely influenced by gender, social class or any other social forces. This is true because great artists like Michelangelo produced exemplary pieces because of the talent they had and not because of social influences. Further still, artists such as Giotto became great artists even though he started off drawing on stone. It is the intelligence and talent that he had in art that elevated his work to great art (Nochlin, 1988, pp. 147-158). Besides, Nochlin’s position also relies on the assumption that the creation of art entails its own form of language. What is more, this language comes to life in paper and not in a mere story that could be told to another party thus disregarding the feminist notion in art. This argument is true because art is learned and perfected through experience and this means that regardless of gender artists with the experience can bring out great art work (Nochlin, 1988, pp. 147-158). Therefore this means that women can produce great art as much as men because art is not gender based. Art is learned and comes to perfection from a period of experience. Besides, great art is also primarily a result of an individual’s intelligence and talent therefore other social forces are just secondary factors in the creation of great art. This therefore implies that women art can be accorded much attention and appreciation if only people could get a deeper insight into what art really entails (Nochlin, 1988, pp. 147-158). Reference Nochlin L. (1988). Why have there been no great women artists? Women, Art and Power and Other Essays. Westview Press.

Alignment of HRM and Business strategies Essay Example for Free

Alignment of HRM and Business strategies Essay The essence of HR is very strategic and when properly aligned, HR contributes to a successful strategy and the financial underline. The alignment between HR and the strategy of an organization starts with a strategy-focused professional. Secondly, the HR system has to be created in alignment with the organization’s strategy. HR needs to ensure that employees are strategically focused (Becker Huselid, 2001). Every element of the HR function, from hiring, compensation, reviews, training, etc. , needs to be developed in order to enlarge the human capital in the organization. Once the gap is recognized, HR needs to measure itself to guide itself, and show what it’s worth as an ongoing strategic segment. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of HR strategic role expansion will prove itself to be worthy or not as a benefit to the bottom line. HR is viewed as the people department and/or resource. The organization’s people ultimately determine the effectiveness of strategy development, implementation, and subsequent competitive success. A strategic approach that is aligned with HR ensures that an organization’s employees, skills, and abilities contribute to the achievement of its business goals (Huselid, Jackson, Schuler, 1997). HR Data warehouse Selected Candidate will be responsible for design, implementation and systems expertise of the data warehouse components focusing primarily on business objects Xi. The scope of technical expertise includes design and development of BO reports, security set-up of medium to high complexity levels as well as the ability to coordinate projects with business personnel and other members of the project teams within the organization to ensure that system requirements, deadlines and priorities are clearly defined and achieved. HR Associate is the best HR related job opening I would prefer to apply in FORD Motor Group. I believe it is an incredible opportunity – a company in transformation can provide invaluable experience for human resources professionals. I also get to partner with the organization to build a skilled and motivated team and enabling them to perform at high levels. With exciting products, a long history and a bright future this job position will surely allow me to expand my professional horizons. An organization needs to acknowledge that HR is important to its business success. In order for HR to achieve this recognition, it must have the right people in place to carry out a strategic initiative. HR needs to define the competencies and skills that it will need to be a strategic contributor. Outstanding HR personal will need to build their business knowledge, financial skills, as well as consulting skills. Furthermore, HR personal will need to become technologically oriented, so they can be free from routine administrative work, as well as leverage information about the workforce. Enabled by technology, HR will be able to play a more strategic managerial role (Frangos, 2002). Advertise job positions in locations and forums with a widely diverse audience and readership. Opt for local and regional papers, magazines, trade publications and television. Recognize the cultures that may already be present in the workforce. Not confusing diversity with minority. Make sure to include everyone in my attempts to celebrate diversity. Network with various diverse organizations will provide with the opportunity to showcase the company and its diverse workers. Using such forums to emphasize the companys dedication to diversity will likely increase interest from diverse individuals.

Managing Cultural Diversity Management Essay

Managing Cultural Diversity Management Essay Davis (2003, p. 45) argues that cultural differences are usually created by race-ethnicity, gender, function, and tenure among the organization factors. Difference in culture may result to the rise of conflicts among team members. This usually results to disrupted communication within the organization and eventually negative outcomes. Therefore, it is the role of every organization and entire management to come up with various ways of managing and reducing negative effects of cultural differences. Management in various organizations should ensure that they are able to detect and avoid such cases from arising. Political backgrounds and experience are other major factors that contribute to cultural differences. Multicultural teams and differences in most occasions generate dilemmas in the organization management. Cultural differences usually create considerable obstacles to efficient teamwork. Recognizing various underlying cultural causes of conflicts is the main challenge in managing multicultural teams by organizations management. It is also a great challenge for management to get teams back into the track as well as empowering members to manage and deal with the challenges of cultural differences in future. Work-group diversity has become one of the most challenging issues that are facing various organizations currently. Various factors like demographic, cultural and legal factors have greatly changed the composition of organizations work forces. Demographic factors include multi-culturalism, equality initiatives, globalization, and declining birth rates. Therefore, this requires managers, employers, and employees to be sensitive to both intra- and intergroup differences. They are also required to adopt practices and policies which are effective in coping with such changes. Managing cultural diversification Ely Thomas, (2001, p. 230) maintains that managers and team members can manage cultural differences. This is only possible if they adopt and chose the right strategies within their organizations. Cultural difference poses various challenges which include hindering success within the organization. They pose as a barrier to effective communication which is a key element in any organization. Cultural difference creates differing attitudes towards authority and hierarchy hence difference in the ways people are treated. It also leads to conflicts especially when making decisions. These challenges are a great hindrance towards success and development of any organization. Therefore, managers need to come up with various strategies and policies in ensuring cultural differences and challenges are eliminated. According to Nankervis, Compton Baird, (2002, p. 120), they are four main strategies of dealing with cultural challenges for managers and various teams in organizations. They include adaption, structural intervention, managerial intervention and exit. Adaption mainly involves acknowledgement of cultural gaps frankly and even working around them. Managerial intervention involves early setting of norms and even bringing in of high-level management. Structural intervention is changing of the teams shape. Exit involves removing a team member in case the options have failed. They are several steps that any organizations management can adopt in dealing and eliminating cultural differences. Identification of the challenge is the key and first step in dealing with multicultural differences. Assessing the circumstances under which the differences are occurring is another crucial step towards dealing with multicultural differences. Adaption is a great strategy that organizations encourage in dealing with cultural diversity. This involves teams finding various ways of working with and around the challenge that they encounter. It also involves adapting practices and attitudes without necessarily making changes to the assignment of the group. Adaption works well when members of the team or organization acknowledge and even name their differences in culture as well as assuming their responsibilities. It also involves figuring on various ways to live with the cultural differences. Adaption has been seen as the best way of dealing with cultural diversity difference as it does not demand a lot of time as compared to other strategies. This is mainly because members of the team take part in problem solving while learning from the process. This kind of mind set plays a great role in ensuring there are creative in protecting their cultural differences within the organization. Organization taking this type of initiative en sures that cultural diversity does not affect its performance and operations among its teams. Various organizations managements have found adaption as an ideal strategy towards solving cultural diversity. This is mainly because it is effective and solves its own problem with little input from management. Team members must be aware of this strategy in order for it to be successful in solving the intended problems or differences. However, negotiating a common understanding may take sometime among the team members. Structural intervention is another way that organizations are utilizing in ensuring they manage the cultural diversity. It is an intentional reorganization or reassignment that is designed to reduce or eliminate source of conflict between people or teams. It is also intended to reduce interpersonal frictions that largely contribute to cultural diversity. The strategy works effectively when obvious subgroups separate the team. This is mainly if team members are clinging to negative stereotypes of one another or feel threatened. Structural intervention also involves creating smaller working groups of diversified cultures. This enables team members to know and even respect every team member. Various organizations utilize or use this strategy as it encourages reduction of cultural diversity within the organization. Structural intervention as a strategy for managing cultural diversity shields people who are not working well in a team. Managerial intervention also plays a vital role in solving organizations cultural diversity effects. Although the failure to involve team in decision making may result to a stalemate, it is important for managers to intervene when cultural diversity blocks the success of decision making. Managerial intervention has been used in many occasions by various organizations to solve sort out its problems effectively. Setting norms early in a team through managerial intervention assists the team towards starting out effectively. Managers encourage team members to encourage each other towards ensuring everybody is appreciated and encouraged to work with each other despite cultural diversity. Managers address the issues like language barrier and ethnic diversity directly. They encourage them on various ways to solve cultural diversity within the team and entire organization. Exit is another strategy that is utilized towards reducing the problems of cultural diversity. This is usually the last and infrequent strategy towards managing cultural differences. It is important for those members who are not happy with their teams to move out of the team to another team. This will ensure there is continued delivery of efficient services. Exit of one or several members is used by organizations as a last resort. One or several members of the team or organization may be kindly requested formally by management to exit. They may also exit voluntarily from the team. According to Bhatia Chaudary (2003, p. 25), managing diverse culture within an organization is not an easy task. Realizing and managing cultural diversity within an organization has been on the increase. This is assisting greatly in facilitating organizational progress and success. On a broad perspective, organizations can manage cultural diversity through communication. This is creating awareness among the employees and various teams on the importance of diverse values of peers. Another way is through cultivating; this is facilitating encouragement, support, and appreciation of any employee achievement by all other colleagues. Diverse culture can also be managed through capitalizing strategies. This involves linking diversity to every process of business and strategy such as employee development, re-engineering, succession planning, performance review and management. Organizations also adopt various innovative ways towards management of cultural diversity. This includes incorporating various people from different cultural backgrounds as well as acknowledging the importance of their cultural. Appreciating people cultural background usually leads to reduced background differences. This ensures there is a common organizational diversity that does not affect the performance of various teams. Organizations have also started empowerment to all members regardless of race or gender. Empowerment is crucial towards making of an effective decision making. Towards reducing culture diversity difference, organizations are encouraging free contribution towards decision making processes. Utilization of empowerment in diverse organizations results to more trust among the team members as well as higher productivity. Empowerment in an organization with diverse culture has been seen to make team members feel their contribution in a manner that is more worthwhile and meaningful. This assists greatly towards improvement of diversity climate hence accomplishment of organization objectives. It is also crucial for various organizations to initiate diversity training programs as illustrated by Perkins, (2006, p. 60). Leaders and managers in organizations should be trained on how to manage and understand culturally diversified employees. Employees as well should be provided with adequate training on the importance of understanding people with different cultures. This will greatly assist in improving the differences that arise when people of different cultures work together. Training is crucial towards the breakdown of stereotypes as well as reducing prejudicial attitudes among the team members. Mentoring and networks are other effective ways towards improvement of the diversity climate. Mentors usually provide recognition, support, and challenge in order to assist in shaping the future for those individuals they are assisting. Mentors are in most occasions beneficial mainly because it assists in keeping minorities on the track. It also assists in keeping them focused withi n any culturally diversified organization. Networking is also another crucial process that assists organizations in managing the cultural diversity within the teams. Networking acts as a source of encouragement and support to various employees with diversified cultural differences. It is also crucial for organizations to strength top-management commitment towards creating a positive diversity climate within the organization. This commitment should be distributed even to the lowest management levels. All managers at every level within an organization should openly and strongly support all policies, strategies, and practices that support the management of culture diversity. This will greatly assist towards reducing culture diversification related challenges within an organization. It will assist in improving and increasing the benefits associated with culture diversity. Conclusion Cultural differences that face multicultural teams may not necessary attribute to diversity challenges. However, these differences underlay the problems that require to be addressed in various teams in organizations. Cultural diversity may not only have negative effects on the working of a team, but they may result to problems in management as well. If any organizations management intervenes early in any cultural challenge within the organization, this may lead to good resolution of the problem. Organizations management should set up norms; structure social interaction as well as engaging all people within the team in solving problems arising due to cultural difference. Managing cultural diversity well has various benefits that are associated with it. Effective management of cultural diversity usually results to organizational benefits or success. Organizations with an effective managed multi-culture have a cost effective competitive edge. It also results to the promotion of minority friendly reputation among prospective employees. Organization with good management of cultural diversity usually results to an increased flexibility and adaptability in case of any environmental changes. Effective management of culture diversity will assist in improving and increasing the benefits associated with culture diversity.

The Economics Of The Clean Air Act Essay -- Impact of Clean Air Act on

"The health effects of air pollution imperil human lives. This fact is well-documented." -- Eddie Bernice Johnson Air is a part of all of our lives. Without clean air, nothing we know of can exist. The debate over clean air, it's regulations, their teammates and opposition, and the economic factors coming into play into this ever-more recognizable problem is a widespread and ever more controversial one. Like a long countdown to eventual disaster, the pollution effecting our world has no doubt made increasingly more impact on our daily lives, and has increased the intensity on Washington and other countries to solve the problem. The Clean Air act is a step in the right direction, but with every answer there comes two questions and likewise more and more people taking sides. There have been long debates not over the effectiveness of such regulations, but the lack of opportunity such regulations and deregulations provide for other companies. Global warming has increased the tension over the economics of cleaner air, but with little the government can do to limit the use of cars, the production of necessary coal-fired power plants and other such human resources, the topic just turns into another fog for debate and argument over stricter regulations and the impeached right these sources have to operate. The continual power struggle of such economic and social issues and the debate over the effectiveness of stricter, present or more lenient regulations has turned into a smorgasboard of prectical solutions, with opponents quickly changing minds and becoming supporters and vice-versa. The expenditure of about 20 billion on the part of companies since 1990 to clean up such hazardous pollutants as cars, factories, and thousands of other measures have reaped about 400 billion in saved hospital costs, lost workdays, reduced productivity, and other conditions while at the same time theoretically helping to reduce smog and pollution. The findings of a report on experiments done for the Clean Air act was passed into law in 1970. The Enviornmental Protection Agency has recently come under attack by critics however, and Washington has threatened to cut the agencies' budget citing high costs of enviornmental legislation, even while their is solid proof that the agencies' measures are paying off. Congress is skeptical of reports that the wh... ...economic, political, and diplomatic challenges. Many developing nations such as China are dependent on coal-generated power to drive their economic growth over the next several decades. U.S. utilities uses coal to produce more than half of the nation's electricity. Plentiful U.S. coal supplies have also meant power for many U.S. companies where coal is plentiful. Air and water are concrete parts of all of our lives. With the destruction and continual pollution being pumped into our ecosystem, who knows how long it will be before the whole world is contaminated to the point where we can no longer live in it. The bureaucrats in Washington don't have all the answers, neither do the unions, or the big corporations. The idea and impact of pollution is like a time-bomb waiting to explode, and the end draws nearer and nearer. We cannot look back on our world after we have destroyed it and comment on things we should have done differently. Sources Consulted http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act http://www.cleanairtrust.org/cleanairact.html http://www.cleanairtrust.org/nepa2cercla.html http://www.c2es.org/federal/courts/clean-air-act-cases

Elizabeth Barrett Brownings Biography Essays -- Biography Biographies

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Biography Throughout the course of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life, poetry played the hand of fate. All of the major events that took place in her life seem to coincide with her poetry. Poetry made her famous. It gave her solace, and comfort, somewhere to drown her sorrow. It introduced her to her husband, and (indirectly) divorced her from her father. Poetry was not only a part of her life, but an integral part of her soul. Creative Beginnings It all began in Gosforth Church, with the marriage of Mary Graham Clarke, and Robert Moulton. Soon after their marriage, Edward Moulton inherited his family’s sugar plantations in Jamaica, and took on the name Barrett. Their first daughter was born on March 6, 1806 in Coxhoe Hall, located in Durham, England. She was christened Elizabeth Barrett. She was to be the first of twelve siblings: Edward, Henrietta, Arabella, Samuel, Charles, George, Henry, Alfred, Septimus, Octavius, and Mary. (Mary died at the age of three.) Out of the twelve, Elizabeth Barrett was closest to her younger brother Edward, affectionately dubbing him â€Å"bro.† He in turn, responded by calling her â€Å"ba.† They all resided happily at â€Å"Hope End near Ledbury in Herefordshire, where Edward Barrett had built himself a country house with Moorish windows and turrets† (World Authors 77). Elizabeth Barrett’s education began at the age of eight when she first started receiving lessons from her tutor. It soon became obvious that Barrett was a proficient learner. She could read Homer in the original before she turned nine years old, and when she no longer had a tutor, she taught herself by studying Edward’s lessons, and by reading incessantly. But, more importantly, she developed a passion ... ...e Barretts of Wimpole Street. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1930. â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†. The Bloomsbury Guide to Women’s Literature. 1992. Bolton, Sarah K. Lives of Girls who Become Famous. New York: Thomas Y. Cromwell company publishers, 1886 â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†. Cyclopedia of World Authors. 3rd ed. 1997. â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning.† The Dictionary of National Biography. 1968 Markus, Julia. Dared and Done: The Marriage of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. Moore, Virginia. Distinguished Women Writers. New York: EP Dulton & CO., Inc. Publishers, 1934. Pickering, George. Creative Malady. New York: Oxford University Press, 1974. Radley, Virginia L. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1972. Roberts, Adam. Robert Browning Revisited. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1996.

Symbols and Symbolism in Sir Gawain and Green Knight Essay -- Sir Gawa

Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight    Symbolism is a literary technique used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to liven up the story and give a deeper significance to the plot.   Almost anything in the poem can be interpreted as a symbol in one way or another.   The Green Knight, the green sash, and Sir Gawain's shield are three of the most prominent symbols presented to us in this author's tale.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Green Knight, this poem's antagonist, serves as a symbol himself.   He is not only portrayed as evil, but a mixture of the familiar and foreign, nature and synthetic, and divine and damned origin.   His large stature can be interpreted as threatening or powerful.   His green glow could be nature-associated or alien-associated.   The first time he appears in the poem, he is even carrying a holly-branch (signifying peace) in one hand and a battle axe (signifying conflict) in the other.   It's hard to say exactly for what the Green Knight stands, because f...

Margaret Thatcher’s “Charter Schools”

In the United States, primary and secondary public school education, undergoes continual monitoring and discussion by government leaders, educators, and parents. According to a survey, by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, in 1994, 39 percent of fourth graders, 37 percent of eighth graders and 36 percent of twelfth graders, scored below average, on basic skills assessment tests, in the United States ( Finn, Ravitch 22-24 ). News coverage also tends to continuously broadcast that the United States lags behind global peers in pre-college education. For this reason, parents, governments and educators are constantly searching for new ways to improve, and overcome learning obstacles, in education. One of the new concepts emerging is the charter school. In the United States, the charter school was modeled after Margaret Thatcher's idea of a public school operating independently, while being funded by grants. A similar concept currently exists, for all public education, in New Zealand ( Finn et al. 48-52 ). In 1992, after the first charter law was passed, Minnesota opened City Academy, based on this concept. The charter focused on recruiting and teaching high school drop-outs ( Buechler 60-63 ). All charter schools, including this first one, are based on certain guidelines. Charters are created by normal citizens desiring to fill a specific need in their area, or to implement a new teaching method. The administration and teaching operate independently from most local school board rules, and funds are used only within the charter school. Any business, parent, teacher or group may apply to open a charter, provided they are not religiously affiliated or a private school already. A charter need only to submit paperwork outlining a curriculum, sponsor, and a place of operation, plus the goals they expect in their students. Local or state school boards then have the option to approve or disapprove of the charter. If the charter idea is accepted, the charter may begin recruitment of students. A contract written and signed between the charter and the school board usually lasts a few years and its renewal is based on positive results or goals achieved. There are also certain laws dealing with charters. A charter must be tuition free and open and free of any discrimination to all children in the district ( Olson Art. 64 ). Charters are almost entirely funded by state and national monies, which normally follow a student to their public school. The money instead will follow the student to his or her chosen charter. Charters are also sometimes funded by private individuals or companies. Arizona ammended their charter school law to create a one million dollar start-up fund. Most states do not provide start-up fees which cover building rental, supplies, teachers and administration, before children arrive at their doors. This creates a hardship for most charters when they first open and prevents others from ever opening (Buechler 60-63 ). As of February 1997, five hundred charter schools operated nationwide, offtering a variety of different curriculums ( â€Å"Schools† 27-28 ). In New Jersey, by creating a public boarding prepatory school, educators devised a way to begin to reach children in their teen years, at risk for dropping out of school. School director Gary T. Reece states, † We've created a safe haven here where kids can risk caring about school without suffering for it†(Cohen 16 ). The teens live in an area where schools are crowded and crime is high. ( Cohen 13 ) In Boston, three types of charters are operating within the city. City on a Hill established for high school students, adds a twist in its curriculum, by creating city hall type debates involving the students. The teens become comfortable with public speaking at a time when they usually avoid it. Another high school named Renaissance, has 205 days in the school year, plus uses integrated teaching within all the classes. Lastly, is an elementary school named Neighborhood House. This school teaches one subject within another. A writing assignment may deal with science or science may be created in art class ( â€Å"Schools† 27-28 ). Add to these examples, charters which stress technology, basic academics, smaller classes, discipline, on-line teaching, home study, whole language, afrocentism, back-to- basics, and those that cater to high-school drop-outs and gifted students. Some charters also partner with zoos, museums, businesses, unions, or community groups ( Buechler 60-63 ) . As a Principal of Harriet Tubman Village School Charter, Roger Sciarretta states, â€Å"The only thing consistent about charter schools is that they're all different. â€Å"Each one has it's own flavor and style† ( Anderson 1A+ ) . In Florida, the Charter School law was adopted in 1996 and as of the 1997-98 school year, thirty-three were operating statewide ( Saunders ). As to why it took till 1996, Betty Golzendorf, D-Jacksonville said, â€Å"If Florida is going to start Charter Schools, then they should be the best Charter Schools in the country† ( Patterson B-1 ). Charters in Florida receive 52,000 dollars as a start-up fee, to help alleviate some of the difficulties before admitting students. Charters also can apply for any funds the government grants for low income or disabilities ( MacDonald ). Ninety-five percent of student fees, usually received by a district, follow the charter student to their selected charter ( Pendleton B-1 ). Before accepting students, a Florida charter must be approved by the local school board, and if denied, may appeal to the State Board of Education ( Saunders ). A Florida charter may be created by groups of citizens, teachers, individuals or legal entities. Private schools and religious organizations are barred from forming a charter school. The charter must also, be open to all children, and follow health, safety, welfare and civil rights laws. Each district is allowed so many charters according to their population. If a district has 100,000 or more people, they may have seven charters established per year. A population of 50,000- 100,000 may create five charters per year. Populations under 50,000 people are allowed three charters per year. (Pendleton B-1 ). In Duval County, five charter schools are currently open, and all are geared towards helping middle school children. Radar Schools focuses on behavior, academics, and truancy. The Police Athletic League is housing and supporting the school (Saunders). Daniel Payne Academy stresses technological curriculum for sixth graders, two years behind grade level . The students receive individual testing, with a focus on building self-esteem and discipline. The students are also required to wear uniforms, and parental involvement is encouraged (Desmon A-1 ). Daniel Payne Academy, School of Success Academy and Empowering Young Minds, all must deal with raising student test scores to meet the Duval County Average of a 49 percentile in reading and 50 percentile in math. Because these schools focus on children in middle school that are behind grade level academically their students averages are below the county average (MacDonald ). In their creation, charters were not meant to replace the public school system. Charter supporters feel that seeking different options for schooling will enhance the current public school system. This in turn, will boost the academic standing in our nation, placing us alongside our foreign counterparts.