I can’t shake that back to the future feeling these days. The Administration says let’s reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Republicans in Congress say vouchers! The House Education committee is holding hearings on regulations and flexibility (nevermind that the actual flexibility authority that exists in the current law is woefully underused). And we’re discussing program consolidation. Except for the economy it’s like the 1990s again.
Today is Patty Griffin’s birthday. From the education world:
Wow, here’s an evergreen headline. I continue to think that if the National Board doesn’t get in front of the cost-benefit issues associated with the credential (high cost and modest signaling effect) it’s in for a tough ride and it’s a missed opportunity for the field.
Whitmire v. Kahlenberg continues. And a really interesting article on charter school politics in Oregon. Schorr and McGriff on blended learning.
I missed this Jim Dwyer column that points on that with regard to LIFO in New York City the point of maximum leverage for Mayor Bloomberg was back when big raises were on the table.
The Oregon article is definitely interesting. As part of a team working to found a charter, I often feel as if my board and design team are expected to create an outstanding school without any of the implicit security that comes from being a traditional neighborhood school.
The process of creating new school choices that routinely outperform other local options is more challenge than most schools are willing to take on, but expecting charters to produce results without giving them the security they need to ask for funding, lease buildings, and build relationships in the community seems unreasonable.
The reality is that most owners of nonresidential property typically expect leases for at least five years, excellence teachers would like their jobs for at least five years, and charters are hard pressed to negotiate leases and contracts without being able to offer assurance that their organizations will exist for at least five years.
So long as charters are by statute far more precarious than most other options for public schools, the public should be impressed that charters have been able to accomplish so much against so much adversity.