Entry #8 -- How many choices are really needed?

During our conversation on school choice, the presenters this week had a quote from the NEA estimating that a total of approx. $268B is needed to "fix" public schools, to rebuild and modernize them. Then we discussed other options to public education such as charter schools and voucher programs which made me wonder whether these alternatives are actually better, more viable choices or whether they distract from the actual problems instead of "solving" them. As we have read and discussed in class, most of the alternatives such as charter schools, etc. are still heavily segregated. As Peter Orfield was quoted in Kozol (p. 225), "Nothing in the way of choice systems actually work favors class or racial integration. Choice has had desegregative impact in some cities only because there were strict guidelines in effect to make sure it would have this end result." Which goes back to what I've said about what is made a priority and what the attitudes of those in power are.

Yet, despite arguments against being allowed to choose schools, many are still willing to give it a shot. This Tuesday, Utah voters will decide whether to pass legislation in favor of voucher programs. Voting for School Choice -- This article lists some of the positives and negatives regarding the legislation. Some argue that the voucher programs will take money away from needy public schools, while others say that the schools may do better with less kids because the schools will be more manageable and because the schools will still receive part of the money that was spent when the students were in the school. (Yes, we can insert issues of social capital here -- about parents knowing how to research schools to make informed decisions, etc. I think adult education is a whole other area in desperate need of reform. Many of the adults were the kids who were lost in or let down by the system so this needs to be addressed as well.) However, what I think is most important about the Utah election though is not whether the legislation passes or fails but that legislation was attempted -- meaning that the population was given a chance to vote on an item that impacts their education and the education of their children. Citizens are being given the opportunity to have a direct impact on educational policy which, I think, is usually extremely rare in most cases.

I found another reform article that I thought had some good information regarding educational reform in Oakland. The article uses research and gathered data to find 10 things that were "learned" from Oakland's reform efforts. National Model or Temporary Opportunity? -- I thought it was interesting that one of the listed items contained a suggestion to decentralize the school districts which would basically take away the power of the elected school board and give more control to the schools and those who cared to be involved.

As we discussed in class, research is an extremely important part of educational reform -- however, with No Child Left Behind and other similar policies, I think public schools are limited in the choices they have so the main way to gather research about reform (for now) appears to be by continuing with the alternative programs/choices. Then, hopefully, once the limitations of NCLB, etc. are lifted, they can analyze what worked and what didn't and under what circumstances and then try to make those findings applicable to public schools under similar circumstances. The research and successes of charter schools such as KIPP can be tailored to individual public schools. (One of the questions/concerns I have about programs like KIPP though is how do they take into account the children whose parents aren't as actively involved in the education of their children -- those many students, especially in urban areas, who have parents who are alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.? Seems as though the children are penalized for something else that is beyond their control.) Again, I don't think a one-size-fits-all approach to educational reform is the key. Schools and students have different needs that need to be met which means different reform methods will be required to successfully and efficiently meet those needs.

In the meantime though, I go back to thinking about that $268B and about how much money is being put into these alternative forms of education, and I can't help but wonder if all the resources such as time, money, and parental accountability, etc. placed into these alternative programs were placed into the public school sectors, instead, would that not have provided a greater opportunity to benefit so many more schools and students?