Two Education Discussions

First, Coach Brown reacts to John Stossel's Stupid in America with his 12-step plan for California school improvement.  Then over at  Dark Star (who I found through Cobb) Ed Brown proposes to fix the state of education in Maryland.

I agree with most of what Coach Brown says, but I think he's off-track here:

We shouldn't need private schools or charter schools, and the idea of letting parents choose where students go to school will only allow kids with involved parents get the "better" education.

Whoa, CB!  What about parents who want their children to have a religious component in their daily education?  Would you outlaw the parochial schools and the Episcopal schools and the Lutheran schools?

What about  diversity in pedagogy?  If all public schools have the same approach to education, what becomes of the child who doesn't learn in that manner?

As to Ed's comments, I am ignorant about the state of education in Maryland, except for news reports like this:

Baltimore schools need urgent attention. In all, 54 of them are classified as low-performing; the 11 schools on the state's takeover list are just the bottom of the barrel. City officials insists they have a plan to reform the failing schools, but it's really too late; they've been failing for too long, and there is no indication the city is up to the task of making significant improvements. The state's own plan is fuzzy; it would seek some third party to take control of the four high schools on its behalf and would compel the city to do the same for the seven middle schools. No real changes in management and supervision would begin for more than a year. But by ordering that the process begin, Maryland has begun to take some responsibility for a disgrace that has been neglected too long.

and this

For others, the decision did not come soon enough. Brian Cox, executive director of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, a public policy and advocacy organization, said, "It is inexcusable that this problem has continued for so long and special education students have not received the services they are rightfully due."

and this

As federal education standards grow more stringent, more Maryland schools are failing to make the grade - 241 last school year, up from 196 the year before, according to Maryland State Department of Education statistics released yesterday.

Most of the schools added to the list of those not making "adequate yearly progress" are in Baltimore City, and Prince George's and Montgomery counties, with a few from Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.

While state Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick expressed some concern about the increase, she said she believes that many of the schools might improve next year.

Of greater concern, she said, are the 167 schools that have not met standards for two or more years and now face new state scrutiny. They include 77 middle schools - one-third of the middle schools in Maryland, some of which have performed poorly for years, mirroring a national trend.

Brown is in favor of charters as alternatives to the failing school system, tax relief for educational investments by parents (tutoring and so forth) and increasing parent's knowledge of how to help kids in school, through public service announcements (PSAs). 

I am less enthusiastic about charters.  There are so many huge chain charter operations that don't seem to be making much of an effect.  Running a school well is hard.

Comments

[DarkStar]

Thanks for the link.

[Coach Brown]

Yeah, I might have been too general when it comes to eliminating all choice, but the fact is that their shouldn't have to been this massive shift towards choice. If the system was being ran correctly, the push wouldn't be there.
As for religious schools.......you really want my opinion ;)

[thebizofknowledge.com]

As an educator, I sincerely appreciate your comment that running a school well is hard; I can tell you from experience that this is so. There are so many pressures to deal with, both financial and academic, as well as meeting the individual needs of students.