Why school ‘reform’ fails
By Robert J. Samuelson, Newsweek
As 56 million children return to the nation’s 133,000 elementary and secondary schools, the promise of “reform” is again in the air. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has announced $4 billion in Race to the Top grants to states whose proposals demonstrated, according to Duncan, “a bold commitment to education reform” and “creativity and innovation [that is] breathtaking.” What they really show is that few subjects inspire more intellectual dishonesty and political puffery than “school reform.”
Since the 1960s, waves of “reform” have failed to produce meaningful achievement gains. The most reliable tests are those given by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The reading and math tests, graded on a 0–500 scale, measure 9-year-olds, 13-year-olds, and 17-year-olds. In 1971, the initial year for the reading test, the average score for high-school seniors was 285; in 2008 that score was 286. The math test started in 1973, when high-school seniors averaged 304; in 2008 the average was 306.
Good ol’ Arne Duncan. He did SUCH a good job with the Chicago school system, I’m sure he’ll do the same for the rest of the country.
At least he hit the nail on the head in two areas: teachers that should no longer be teaching and unmotivated students. There are few consequences in schools today. Parents scream if their child is punished, no matter how much he or she deserves same. The kids don’t do the work, and then when mommy screams, they get a pass. Discipline is severaly limited and trust me, the “poor me” card is played repeatedly.
I hate the word REFORM. It rivals “I am from the government and here to help.”
A huge industry has developed around REFORM and it isn’t going away without a war.
I heard a person who was supposedly a part time private teacher say he didn’t want his son to be educated in a certain area as he felt the son would leave (presumably for the yearning of a better life). Another person conveyed to me the parents are the issue When I mentioned Bijou elementary school. A person apparently employed by the county told me a father was manipulating their son (the son was complaining about being manipulated). Wonder how prevalent this is?