The
Problems With Education "Reform", and What to do About Them…
Public education and
education "reform" are much discussed topics in recent days. It could be argued that this is a good thing,
after all, isn't a quality education for every student a worthwhile goal to
pursue? Isn't public discussion about
finding ways to make this happen something to be encouraged and valued?
Of course public educators
and those who value education want public schools to be an important part of
any public dialog that goes on as we continually seek to improve all aspects of
our society. Why then are we seeing so
much concern raised by supporters of public education about the conversations
currently happening regarding our public schools?
Education "Reform" is a political power
tool, not a real effort to support or improve public education. Public
education has become a target for those who would seek to increase their hold
on political and economic power. Public
educator unions are one of the last bastions of organized labor and the
elimination of their power by any means necessary is a clear goal for
conservative political leaders.
Education is one of the largest items in many state and municipal
budgets and there are those who see the schools and their students as line
items to be exploited, not people to be educated.
www.wisdc.org
www.onewisconsinnow.org
Information shared by "reformers" is
misleading and designed to harm public schools. In
order to change the landscape of education from one dominated by public schools
to one where for-profit privatized schools are the norm, there is a concerted
effort to undermine public confidence in our school systems. One example of this is the recently developed
"Report Cards" that evaluate public schools in Wisconsin.
It has become clear that there was a "hidden agenda" behind
the development of the report cards and that they were intended to be wielded
as a weapon of destruction not an instrument of change.
Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says 1 in 4 schools in the
state are failing on DPI report card
Organizations opposed to
public education look for any way to discredit educators and harm public school
systems.
Proposed "Reforms" are (ironically
enough) untested and often without educational merit. Many
of the champions of education "reform" have been discredited after
their policies and practices are analyzed by real education experts. We have seen individuals rise to the top of
the educational policy pyramid, not on merit, but on their willingness to
promote an agenda supported by interests from outside the field of
education. The end result has been
lasting harm for students and schools that have been under the control of these
"reformers".
The voucher program in Wisconsin is one example
of these unproven "reforms" being treated as good educational
practices for political purposes.
Expanding voucher schools in Wisconsin
does little to improve the educational outcomes for most students, and actually
harms more than it helps. What it does
do is cripple public schools and open the door for more privatization.
Voucher schools are
promoted as an alternative to a "one size fits all" public education,
yet the reality is not what is promised.
In many cases voucher schools have less qualified (uncertified) staff
that works more hours (for less pay), experience higher turnover rates in
staffing. Yet administrators and
investors in these schools reap financial rewards denied to employees.
The Common Core standards
currently being touted as the next great advancement in education are another
example. These standards change the way
that we deliver instruction in our schools and they increase the value that is
placed on standardization of curriculum and testing. Essentially, Common Core standards force our
schools to limit the ability of educators to deliver instruction in ways that
benefit the students they serve. Even in
districts like the Madison
Public Schools we are
seeing a move towards a top-down more restricted teaching environment.
How can we resist the tide of
"reform"? There are many answers to this question, but all of
them start with conversations about what we are defending. It isn't enough to simply speak out against
the "reforms" being touted.
Public opinion and dialog has been directed in ways that focus attention
on the negative aspects of our schools.
To speak out against the "reforms" is seen as obstructing
progress and defending a "failed" status quo.
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Public educators and
supporters of public education need to take control of the debate around what
makes good educational policy and what our schools can do to meet the
challenges that exist. The idea that our
public schools are "failing" and that drastic changes need to be made
is a false one. Ask most families who
attend public schools and they will speak about the many positives that are
happening in schools across our state.
Public educators are not comfortable with the "one-size fits all"
model that is being forced upon us from outside our classrooms.
What isn't happening is an
effective counter message to the negative imagery delivered by supporters of
educational "reform". Public
educators are being battered and flooded with constantly changing directives
that eliminate their will and ability to counter the claims of the
"reformers". At my school we
are seeing drastic changes in the climate and the sense of community as our
curriculum is standardized.
Opportunities for creativity are limited as emphasis is placed on
testing and making sure all students are meeting these new standards. In essence we are fighting a battle on
unfriendly ground and on terms decided by our opponents.
By taking the initiative
and changing the debate away from standards and testing we can begin to push
back against the wave of "reform".
This must be done purposefully and with a recognition that assessment
and standards are not the enemy. It is
the use of these educational necessities that is the problem, and educators can
use these tools effectively to promote sound educational practices.
In order to take control
of the debate we must engage the public in real conversations about
education. As communities we must
determine what we value in our public schools and look for ways to foster these
things. Educators, families and
community members must truly commit to our public schools and work together to
develop policies that will promote achievement and build support for our
schools.
People who work in, or who
send their children to, public schools recognize the harm that is being done to
children by the "reforms".
They see children's love of learning decrease while stress levels
increase as students are pushed to achieve instead of learn. Families whose children are part of the
Achievement Gap see how testing and "rigorous" standards destroy the
sense of community and eliminate a sense of community in a school
building. Instead of having time to
build relationships with students, educators are forced to push students
academically, even when those students need emotional support to engage in
learning.
Educators in buildings are
being asked to do things that they don't fully believe in. By implementing top-down curriculum decisions
and mandating policies designed to increase academic challenges without
utilizing the strengths of specific schools we fail to meet the needs of our
students. Educators need to reach out to
the communities they work in and promote the educational practices that they
know will work for students.
For example, at my school
we have a beautiful wooded grounds, a pond within walking distance and a large
public park (with ponds, prairie and woodlands) directly across the
street. If we allow our curriculum to be
mandated by someone outside our building we will lose the ability to utilize
the natural assets that we have. Over
the years we have developed a strong outdoor education program and a vibrant
community garden outside our school. Our
students do soil testing, water testing, help monitor the health of our
restored forest, track changes in climate and engage in countless other
real-life learning opportunities. This
outdoor education program has the potential to unite staff, families and the
community at large around our school in a way that a standardized reading
program, or improved test scores never will.
Every school in every
community has some similar strengths that can be emphasized as we work to
engage all citizens in promoting our system of public education. People are motivated to support ideas,
policies and programs for many different reasons. "Reformers" are using fear and
confusion to instill a sense of crisis in the public. Schools have the obligation to counter these
tactics with a sense of purpose and stability.
Public education has the potential to unify different aspects of a
community in ways that are central to creating a united sense of purpose and
strong common interests. We can't allow
our public school system to be replaced by a collection of separate schools
that serve to further the separation and segregation of groups from each
other.
Working together we can
fight back against the "reformers" and strengthen our public schools
for the benefit of all.
Wisconsin Business Alliance prepares to lobby lawmakers on
public education, broadband access, green
Interestingly enough, Andy, the new superintendent has purchased a house in your attendance area for the explicit purpose of having her son attend your school. She has also expressed what sounds like genuine esteem for the caliber of all of the schools she has visited so far in Madison, so it is important I think to catch her ear and keep talking about these things to her.
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