Shaking up public education
The Chronicle has a story on what looks to be a hot topic in the upcoming state legislature session -- school vouchers -- and the proposed voucher plan is summed up in the "Resource" box in the margin of the story:
EDUCATION ALTERNATIVE
• The plan: A proposal would allow students who are struggling academically or attending low-rated public schools to enroll in private schools using a state-funded voucher.
• The value: Each voucher would be for an amount equal to the average per student funding at the local public school.
• The beneficiaries: The pilot would apply to the six largest districts in the state, including the Houston and Cypress-Fairbanks districts.
This plan, to "allow students who are struggling academically or attending low-rated public schools to enroll in private schools using a state-funded voucher," doesn't sound unreasonable, but of course, the usual suspects are against it:
But teachers and school administrators are preparing to do whatever it takes to stop vouchers, even if it means killing a bill that includes a teacher pay raise or shutting down the education agency.
[snip]
Carolyn Boyle, coordinator of the Coalition for Public Schools, which includes the League of Women Voters, the Texas PTA and a number of other education and public advocacy groups, said her coalition has "locked arms" with groups representing teachers, administrators and school boards, to fight vouchers.
"What is in the public interest is to have a fabulous public school in every neighborhood. There's too many people who want their hands on public money," Boyle said.
Well, of course it's in the public interest to have fabulous public schools, but after forty or so years of liberals and educational "experts" running the show, we are not heading in the direction of fabulous public schools. Something clearly isn't working, and some new thinking and new programs are definitely in order.
And let's just take a moment to think about Ms. Boyle's statement that "too many people [...] want their hands on public money." The key there, Ms. Boyle, is the word public, which means Texas citizens are earning the money and having to give it up to fund schools that don't work. The groups most resistant to any changes that might improve public schools are teachers unions and their supporters, and the status quo, with calls for MORE money, is just fine for teachers unions. No need to shake things up, no need to hold anyone accountable. Just keep enriching teachers union coffers.
Yeah, well, that's not working and more and more parents are fed up. You know who else is fed up? Business owners:
Voucher proponents have the support of Gov. Rick Perry, a longtime advocate of a pilot program. Earlier this month, a group of Perry's business advisers called for vouchers, more funding for charter schools and restructuring the way teachers are paid.
That's because businesses increasingly find their employees didn't master basic levels of math and grammar, let alone writing and critical thinking, during their twelve years in public schools, and businesses have to offer classes, as a part of the job, to bring employees up to minimum levels of competence! It's a stunning example of public education's failures.
In fact, what we often find now is that high school graduates can't make it in beginning college classes and have to go to community colleges to take remedial math and English classes, mastering what they should have already learned.
A change in public education thinking and practice is long overdue, and it sounds as if even the Chronicle editors agree that public education needs a shake-up:
Sandy Kress, an attorney and business council member instrumental in drafting President Bush's No Child Left Behind legislation, says there's plenty of statistical evidence to prove that low performing schools can improve no matter what the income level or ethnic makeup of their students. If the local district won't do the job, Kress says, it should become the responsibility of the state. He believes the so-called "death penalty" of state intervention would be used rarely because school districts would react to the threat and move to bolster the management and teaching staffs of their bad schools.
While the proposal will surely face tough opposition from local educational establishments, the council's blueprint should command favorable attention in the Legislature. There is little point in setting high standards and mandating a testing system if Texas is unwilling to take on the ultimate responsibility for schools that fail to perform and school districts that are indifferent to that failure.
Absolutely.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/06/04 10:04 AM | Print |
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