Friedman Foundation Survey: “Virginia’s Opinion on K-12 Education and School Choice “
We’ll post more on this later today, but in case you missed it yesterday, we were honored to joined the Friedman Foundation, Virginia Walden Ford and many other state and national education organizations in releasing the latest in the Friedman Foundations Surveys in the State series.
To read more: Virginia’s Opinion on K-12 Education and School Choice
VOTE: Our Children Are Counting On Us
Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to have lunch with another leader in the school choice movement. As we discussed policy and reforms and all those “good ideas” we have to improve educational opportunities for our children, he stopped and asked a very poignant question.
“But what can I tell a parent they can do now- TODAY- to change their child’s education?”
It is a tough question to answer. As many of us who have worked on this issue for years (or decades) know, change sadly does not usually happen over night. Many of these reforms come slowly- and sometimes progress can seem to barely move at a crawl. Our coalition here at School Choice Virginia includes many individuals and organizations who have been on the front-lines of the education fight here in Virginia for many years. They have remained committed to fighting for our children, even when the odds seem stacked against them.
And while we have outlined a number of steps here on our website that parents can take to get involved, the first step comes tomorrow. On Tuesday, November 3rd, you can take the first step for meaningful education reforms for our children by getting out to the polls and voting.
Your vote matters. Your voice matters. Our children cannot vote- so they are counting on us to speak up for them. They are counting on us to be their voice.
If you aren’t sure where to go vote, you can find your polling location online.
We have shared some information about the education platforms of the two candidates for governor, but we also encourage you to learn about their positions. For Bob McDonnell’s positions on education visit here. For Creigh Deed’s positions on education visit here.
Please remember to VOTE on Tuesday, November 3rd. It is the first step we can all take to make sure our voices are heard for educational reforms that will give all our children access to educational opportunities to help them succeed. We need leadership in Richmond that will stand up for our children and fight for education reforms to give them ALL a brighter future.
The education monopoly
I think most people do not believe that monopolies are not a good thing for consumers. Think about the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (now AT&T)- I think most of us are at least somewhat familiar with the telephone giant’s former monopoly on phone services. According to Wikipedia, as early as 1907 the president of the company was pursuing a goal of “One Policy, One System, Universal Service.”
Well, long-story short, eventually consumers got sick and tired of the monopoly, anti-trust lawsuits were filed, and the government stepped in to break-up the monopoly. Today, most consumers enjoy far more choices when it comes to phone service options.
Lack of competition creates apathy. Perhaps even laziness. And they usually artificially drive up costs.
So why would a government-run education monopoly be a good thing? How can one be opposed to a business monopoly but support a government-controlled monopoly?
Okay, so I know some critics will immediately say “but this is EDUCATION, not a business!” - emphasizing that education is more important than any business. Well yes, education is more important- so why on earth would we allow it to be controlled by a destructive monopoly?? Then those critics may start on some silly line of non-reasoning saying things about how education is too important to be entrusted to anyone other than the government and how can we trust what is being taught in schools not controlled by government (or some other really incoherent and ridiculous argument- I’m sure you’ve heard them before). Well then one might ask them where President Obama received his education? Just saying…
Anyways, in today’s NY Times, Thomas Friedman has an insightful opinion piece underscoring the importance of high-quality education. In The New Untouchables, he writes:
That is the key to understanding our full education challenge today. Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive. Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college — more education — but we need more of them with the right education.
We do need to equip our children with the right education. But I’d argue that the right education will not be found in a one-size fits all model. The right education will be different for every child, and our education reforms must start with that in mind.
The other week I mentioned the Kindergarten Fair being held here for families to learn more about local public and private schools. It was a great event- but it truly highlights the difference between the private schools and the public school monopoly. Since approximately 92% of students in Virginia attend the public schools already- they don’t really have to “compete” for students. Plus they know that their funding is guaranteed. And it showed. The representatives from the local public school system appeared apathetic and rather uninterested in even being there, especially when compared to the energy and excitement expressed by the various representatives of the various private schools. The private school reps knew that they had to “sell” their schools and their unique programs- they actually have to compete for students.
So if an AT&T monopoly was bad for consumers- isn’t it time we declare a government-controlled education monopoly to also be bad for consumers? Our children deserve better.
Who needs school choice anyways?
You know what I don’t get? People who try to make the argument that because generally, Virginia has some good public schools, that we don’t “need” school choice. Okay, well to me that’s like making some silly argument that because Ford makes some generally good vehicles, we don’t “need” to have any other competitors. Everyone should just be happy with their Ford and go about their business.
Really? I’m not buying.
So last night, I was talking to a mother of 2 children in elementary school. Both of her kids attend a local private school-though until about a year ago, both had been enrolled in their local public school. I was asking her about their choice- and she said that they had attended one of the best public schools in Fairfax County- and in fact she and her husband has originally picked their house specifically because of the good school district.
Then, one day in about 3rd grade, her older child came home and asked to be home schooled. As a parent, that sends up a pretty big red-flag that something isn’t working.
This family was lucky- they were able to afford to make the choice to enroll their kids in a different school- and by all accounts, the choice was a good one and the kids are thriving in their new environment. But it makes me wonder what about the countless other children who are stuck- who are suffering in silence because their parents cannot afford another option? That’s not an issue that can simply be fixed with more funding.
We’ve said it before, even a “great” school may not always be right for every child. And when it isn’t, what is a parent to do? Maybe the school isn’t challenging enough. Maybe it is too challenging. Maybe there are problems with classmates. Maybe the student needs more 1-on-1 instruction. Maybe the child just needs a different structure. Whatever the reason, if we want all children to achieve, shouldn’t we be finding more ways to help them do that?
School choice shouldn’t just be about helping change miserably failing school districts (though certainly those are some of the areas that desperately need choice the most). School choice is about recognizing children as individuals, with individual and unique needs. We can’t expect them all to fit into one mold and learn the same way. Let’s create a vibrant system of educational choices that give every child the best chance at recognizing their own potential. Let’s make sure those kids in failing districts AND those kids who are struggling in even the best schools have the choices that will give them a chance to succeed.
Make sure your voice is heard. Get involved! Talk to your lawmakers about educational options and choice. Legislators really do want to hear from their constituents- find their contact information online here. Call them; email them; let them know that you support education reforms that are focused on children first.
Who speaks for our children?
“When the media talk about public schools, we always hear about teachers, salaries, tenure and classroom size- what I want to know is why don’t we hear more about the parents and the students? If policy is focused on students- wouldn’t they see better results?” (Steven Crowder, PJTV)
It seems jaw-droppingly obvious. When we talk about education- we should be focusing on kids, right? After all, the children are the ones attending school (hopefully) and the ones who are supposed to be receiving an education (again, hopefully).
But as Mr. Crowder states- far too often it seems, the real focus of the education debate gets lost in the political turf-war waged aggressively by an entrenched special-interest: the teachers’ unions. While trying to maintain the facade that they are the ones fighting “for” our children, they continue to pursue an agenda that adamantly resists any change that may actually prove beneficial for students- changes like greater parental choice in education.
I know that, perhaps, I am repeating myself here, but when are parents going to stand up and take back control?? We know that overwhelmingly parents support greater choices in education- as Mr. Crowder notes in the video, in DC that number is around 80%- so when are parents going to realize that the unions are not supporting the best interests of their children?
It is fair here, too, to place some of the blame on the politicians - as they continue to place the interests of unions over the interests of children. Not that it is any excuse - but when politicians are hearing from a very vocal group, even if it is, in reality, a very small minority- they can often be mislead into believing that they are are somehow doing the right thing. And so again, it comes back to parents to become advocates for their children and to let lawmakers know they will no longer sit idly by and allow unions to dominate the debate over the future of education.
What parents, and politicians, must remember, is that a union- even when comprised of teachers- is a special interest. Their mission is to protect the interests of their members. Period. The students and parents are NOT a member of the union- and therefore will never be the primary interest of the union.
As a parent, what can you do? Get involved! Call, email, visit your local legislator (or local House of Delegates candidate)- talk to them about education. (Don’t know your local legislators- find them here.) Ask them what they propose to improve education. Are they willing to talk about educational choices- or do they just talk about teacher salaries, tenure, classroom size and funding? Urge them to support school choice and charter school options for families. Remember, many of our own lawmakers are also parents, too- and education issues directly impact them as well. They need to hear from other parents- not just special interests- and they need to hear that parents are supporting education reforms that are focused on children first.
Making education a priority
Hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful weekend!
Over the weekend, I was thinking about our fight for education reform (not that that comes as much of a surprise, I’m sure)- and I had to wonder where it “ranks” for most folks. As I see the political campaigns out doing their door-to-door walks, and watch one campaign commercial after another on tv- I hear about “transportation solutions” and “jobs,” but when it comes to education reforms, things seem to go quiet.
Okay, so I’ve seen plenty of political surveys- and I know that usually generic “education” ranks as a top priority for most voters. Sadly when it comes to “solutions” for education- too many politicians come up short.
Oh sure, we all hear their soundbites: “I’m FOR education.” (What does that even mean??) “I’m for increasing education funding.” (But can you show me where that funding will produce measurable results??) “I support our public schools.” (Gee, that’s great, but what about those public schools that aren’t working for all our kids?)
And what gets me even more is those politicians- like my neighbor- who simply stick the teachers’ union “endorsed” stickers to their yard signs. As if that is going to convince me they are really strong on education. If anything that tells me that they are going to put unions first, which too often means putting kids last.
Derrell Bradford, of E3 (Excellent Education for Everyone)- an awesome organization out of New Jersey working for ed reform- was on MSNBC last week and had a great line about “our schools are organized in ways that make adults happy, but are not serving our children…”
And sadly that seems all too true. But what is worse- why won’t anyone do anything about it?
Shouldn’t parents demand more from the educational system? Shouldn’t we demand more of politicians? They are quick to offer “solutions” for so many other areas of our lives (whether government has any business getting involved or not), but when it comes to our kids, why do so many of them seem more worried about appeasing the teachers’ unions than actually proposing real solutions that will help children to actually succeed?
In this article, Education - ‘the great equalizer’ from One News Now, Mr. Bradford explains:
“Every person has to make education a priority — every child, every parent,” he contends. “It is a serious thing, it is the thing, it is the great equalizer, and it is how we will fix much that ails this great nation.”
And we couldn’t agree more. And in making education a priority, we have to stop letting unions dictate what needs to be done to improve education. Parents need to recognize that the unions are in it to protect their membership- not stand up for children. Parents have to be the ones to stand up for their children and demand better.
He adds that at the same time leaders cannot tell children to take education seriously and then continue to send them to failing schools. Bradford believes that educational choice is key to success — and that with choice, children can get a superior education at a fraction of the cost the government is currently spending per child.
We can no longer sit back and allow politicians to feed us empty lines about “supporting education.” We can no longer allow solutions that do not put kids first. And bottom line- we can no longer accept education reforms that do not allow parental choice to be a part of the solution.
Will you make a difference?
With yesterday’s events in DC, I didn’t have a chance to post this article in the Washington Times from Dan Lips at the Heritage Foundation: “A back-to-school wake-up call.“
In the article, Mr. Lips examines the cost of public education in this country, but also points out that we don’t always get the bang-for-our-bucks that we should expect (and even demand) from our investment.
The typical child entering first grade this year can expect taxpayers to spend more than $100,000 on his or her education through high school. (The Department of Education reports the average annual per-pupil expenditure in U.S. public schools is now more than $10,000.) But the data show that, all too often, our six-figure investment in every child’s future doesn’t guarantee a quality education.
What we particularly liked about this article is that Mr. Lips gives parents a homework assignment: get involved. Parents cannot expect special interests (like teacher’s unions) to fight for what is best for their kids. Instead, of hoping that elected leaders and education bureaucrats will “do the right thing,” parents must themselves become educated- and make sure their voice is heard- if they really want education reforms that will make a real difference in our children’s education and our future.
As kids go back to school, here’s some homework for adults for the upcoming school year. Become informed and make your voice heard in debates about education. Learn about what we’re spending on our public schools and what we’re seeing in terms of student performance. Follow what is happening in the state legislature and on the local school board.
Write a letter to the editor and make your opinions known. Challenge your elected representatives and demand that they put the interests of kids ahead of the special interest groups.
It will take hard work. But if enough people get involved and demand serious reform, we can fix the chronic problems that plague our nation’s public schools. The future of millions of children — indeed, of the nation itself — depends on it.
We invited you to get involved today. Help make a difference for your children- and for all our children. They are counting on us.
Thursday reads
Couple quick headlines to start off the morning.
WISH-TV 8: Bush backs governor on education reform
Governor Mitch Daniels recruited a big name politician to help him sell education reform ideas Wednesday.Jeb Bush came to the Governor’s Education Roundtable to tell a success story of improved test scores in Florida schools. He told Indiana educators looking for similar results to start out by taking the ISTEP test themselves.“Take it,” said Bush. “Take the test and then say, ‘Is this what you want your children to aspire to?’”Bush then told how teacher bonuses, charter schools and virtual schools helped improve learning in his home state.Afterward, the brother of former President George W. Bush made a pitch for school choice.“I think if you created a system where the money follows the child, sometimes that child might go to an option that may not be a public option and that’s alright with me too, that’s kind of the American way,” said Bush.
And for more on Florida and special needs education vouchers:
Jay P. Greene Blog: Tampa Tribune Op-Ed
In Florida, as in most other states, schools receive additional funding for each student identified as disabled. Often, these additional resources are greater than the actual cost of providing special-education services, giving schools a financial incentive to increase their diagnoses.
The financial incentive to misdiagnose is particularly apparent when classifying students as having a specific learning disability (SLD). That’s because SLD is the most common, the most ambiguous, and the least costly category of special education. In many cases, school officials might simply be trying to get extra resources to help struggling students. But the net effect is the misclassification of a huge number of students as having an SLD.
The McKay program reduces the financial incentive for Florida’s schools to misdiagnose learning disabilities by placing revenue at risk whenever a student is placed into special education…
And, from the School Choice Ohio Blog: Back to School with Scholarships. (While Ohio is still working out the kinks in the system, wouldn’t it be nice if some of Virginia’s kids had a choice as they headed back to school this fall?)
Nearly 2 million students across Ohio have headed back to school. Around 20,000 of these precious little Buckeyes are attending local private schools thanks to tax-funded scholarships they receive from the state of Ohio.
Families always tell us how excited they are to choose where their children go to school, rather than relying on default options.
“I feel like I’ve won the lottery!” - Rose, grandmother from Lorain
“EdChoice has empowered me to sustain that my children will have a strong foundation on which to build their lives. It has opened a door of opportunity for a community of children whose parents may not be as successful as they want to be, but they work hard everyday trying to get there!”- Angelnique, parent from Dayton
And I thought the idea was to reward success…
Okay, so I’ve mentioned before, my mom is an educator in the public school system. And for as long as I can remember, she’s talked about education methods that reward success- positive reinforcement and all that.
Sadly, while the teachers might “get it,” bureaucrats do not. Instead of rewarding success and embracing those innovations that improve education for children, they fight them tooth and nail.
Christina Martin, a policy analyst for the School Choice Project at Cascade Policy Institute, takes a good look at this in: Who Want to Punish Success? Bureaucrats, Not Parents.
She writes:
Yet, school boards like Portland Public Schools’ grant charters to few applicants, in spite of the evident demand for more charter schools. What happens when schools like Corbett succeed far beyond their peers? Parents want more, and bureaucrats become afraid. Instead of fearing change, bureaucrats should embrace the opportunity to give Oregon what it wants and needs: more school choice.
Sadly, it isn’t just happening in Oregon, but in schools and school systems throughout the country. It is time to give all families more school choice.
September- Back to school and campaign season
It’s hard to believe it is already September, but the cooler weather this morning is certainly making it feel like back-to-school time already. Out this morning, I saw the signs up at the local middle school announcing back-to-school nights this week as students prepare to return next week.
The National Post in Canada has an interesting back-to-school article this morning from Malkin Dare, president of Society for Quality Education, “A chance to choose.” The article examines the situation in D.C., before discussing the state of education in Canada, and the lack of options available to most parents.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with President Obama sending his kids to such a fine school; it’s perfectly normal for him to want his children to get the best education possible. Yet there is something wrong with the fact that this same President is also working hard to prevent other parents from having the right to get the best education possible for their own kids. In fact, President Obama is trying to kill the Washington school voucher program, a project that gives poor children an opportunity to escape their appalling inner-city schools.
One such horrifying Washington school is the Francis-Stevens education complex, which is where Obama’s girls would be expected to go if he didn’t have the resources to send them to private school. Last year only about half of the students at the complex were proficient in reading, and even fewer were proficient in math.
We agree- we fully support any parent who is able to make the best educational choices for their children. It is a wonderful thing for a parent to be involved in their child’s education and make choices to give that child the best opportunity for success, which is why we believe ALL parents should be able to make those choices. We have noted before the hypocrisy of some who would make those choices themselves but then actively stand in the way and oppose providing those same choices to other families- families just like theirs who only want a good, safe education for their children, but sadly do not have the same financial means to afford it.
Dare continues:
In practice, however, there is a large subclass of Canadian families who are unable to access any of these options. They tend to be lower-income, lower-education families who are stuck with their assigned public school.
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Perhaps these students would do better if government policy gave their parents a chance to choose better schools for them. It might offset the other disadvantages they face.
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It’s time for attitudes to change.
It is time for attitudes to change. It is time for parents to stand up for their children. It is time to let politicians know that families demand (and deserve) more than the status quo.
While we’ve finally started to see some Virginia candidates begin test the waters and discuss education reform and parental choice in education, up in NJ, this is becoming a key issue in the Governor’s race. Chris Christie, who is challenging incumbent Jon Corzine has made his support for school choice and expanded charter school options very clear.
In a press release yesterday, Christie announced:
Every child in New Jersey deserves an opportunity to attend a quality school and receive a world-class education. Charter schools, such as the Learning Community Charter School, provide New Jersey’s parents and their children with much needed choice when their local schools and school districts fail at giving their students a high-quality education. It is vital to the future of New Jersey to ensure every child receives a high-quality education regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.
And he’s not just paying lip-service to the issue. Christie’s press release goes on to lay out 4 specific reforms for education in NJ. We applaud Mr. Christie for making education reform- and parental choice in education- a key issue in his campaign for Governor- and pledging real reform for NJ families. We hope that Virginia’s candidates will take notice and follow this lead- Virginia’s families deserve representation that will stand up for them and bring real reform to education in Virginia.
