Colorado School Voucher Update

Over at Reason's Hit and Run, they are having a vigorous discussion (see the comments) of Colorado's implementation of their new school voucher program. The discussion stems on the extent of "state vetting" of the schools being allowed to participate.

From Hit and Run:

Addendum: A writer at the Rocky Mountain news writes to note that almost half of those 82 schools were denied participation in the program, including the school that threatened to expel gay students. Repulsive as I personally find that particular policy, this does raise the sort of concerns many in the comments had about public control of private school poilcy. The Supreme Court ruled in Zelman v Simmons-Harris that voucher programs are immunized from Establishment Clause scrutiny on the grounds that they enable "true private choice" rather than state favoritism. In other words, the constitutionality depends on parents, rather than government, making the central choices. That reasoning seems prima facie incompatible with this kind of aggressive state vetting.

Why 5 and 7 Year Olds Can't Vote

My kids, Jake and Kate, went to vote with their father yesterday. He told them about the various candidates. Katie (5) grew very excited and said she was voting for the movie star. Jacob agreed when he heard that he starred in action movies. Katie later told me (I'm not making this up)--"Mom, that's why they do not allow five year olds and seven year olds to vote."

Apparently, its not only children who think movie stars should be governor.

Chinese Students Choose Charters

The San Francisco Chronicle tells the story of local Chinese students who had refused to take the Muni across town to attend schools based on economic desegregation. These students and their families wanted neighborhood schools. The district and the parents reached a compromise and now the local students will go to neighborhood charter schools.

No Help

My colleague Ted Balaker, discusses a recent union response to school volunteers at Reason's Privatization Blog, Out of Control:

Put that rake down!

Public schools often urge parents to get involved with their children’s education. So when 50 neighborhood volunteers showed up at San Diego’s Marvin Elementary School you’d think the school district would be happy. After all, because of California’s dire budget situation, local schools had to cut funding for landscaping. Many campuses became overgrown with weeds and littered with trash and broken sprinkler heads.

Too bad such acts of voluntarism violate union labor laws. The union that represents landscapers cried foul saying that schools are prohibited from giving district work to anyone but employees. The district even circulated a memo telling administrators what to do in the event this “problem” of volunteers arose. Now the principal of one school says it was wrong of her to ask for volunteers.

Marvin Elementary Principal E. Jay Derwae is one of the few sticking up for the volunteers. "Our nondistrict school foundation decided it wanted to spruce up the school because of budget cuts and because the weeds were five feet tall," he said. "The union told us we were to cease and desist. But I'm not going to tell my parents and neighbors who live in houses with impeccable yards they can't clean up the school."

California has other volunteer clean-up programs that work very well. Take Caltrans’ adopt-a-highway program. Volunteers “adopt” a stretch of highway and keep it clean. Good thing the highway clean-up union hasn’t squashed that act of voluntarism.

Environmental ED--Courtesy of Gray

In yet another last minute bill imposed by the ousted Gov., California schools will now be required to teach state-mandated environmental education.

California schools are facing yet another education requirement to contend with, courtesy of bill signed by Gov. Gray Davis.

AB 1548 requires the Office of Education and Environment within the EPA to develop a curriculum for teaching environmental issues in schools by July 1, 2004.

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, it could cost up to $500,000 to fund the program, coupled with "unknown major costs' in teacher training. ...

The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D- Agoura Hills, will provide a curriculum to teach environmental issues in science, math, language arts and other subjects.

Additionally, all state agencies with environment education programs will have to coordinate with the Office of Education and Environment and align their programs with state standards.

Yet another example of spreading education resources too thin and failing to focus on a core mission of raising reading and math achievement in public schools. In my experience dubious environmental issues and discussions already take up a significant portion of school time.

If state standards would make the discussion more balanced this might not be such a bad idea. However, the curriculum will likely favor an environmentalist agenda. If schools cannot manage to teach history and science without raging political debates, it seems like a potential future firestorm to come to terms with a "standard" environmental curriculum.

Inside DC's School Voucher Movement

I highly recommend the blog by Cato Institute’s education policy analyst, Casey J. Lartigue Jr. His blog combines compelling personal anecdotes and education policy. The stories give the reader the feel of being inside the fight for school choice in DC. In addition, Casey is a fascinating person who really gets why education is the most pressing policy issue for urban neighborhoods.

Weighing NCLB

Alexander Russo has a hard-hitting, and in my humble opinion, accurate, assessment of the implementation and future survival of the NCLB act over at Slate.

Choice in Vegas

Here's one for the "We don't live by the double standard, we invented it" files.


Via Education Intelligence Agency

Union Supports School Choice… for Teachers.

In an effort to reduce turnover in the worst schools, the Clark County School District in Nevada negotiated a provision in the collective bargaining agreement that requires new teachers to remain in those schools for three years. The Clark County Education Association wants the regulation removed. Union President Mary Ella Holloway told the Las Vegas Sun that forcing teachers to stay where they are unhappy won’t improve a school.

EIA applauds Holloway’s sound reasoning, and eagerly awaits her explanation as to why it wouldn’t also apply to parents and students.

Yep, forcing students to stay where they are unhappy has not done much for student achievement.

The Price of Parental Involvement

The New York Times reports on how your taxdollars will get parents "Back-to-School":

In a year of budget cuts, the New York City Department of Education is spending $43 million to hire a parent coordinator in every school, to encourage parents to participate in their children's education. They will be paid $30,000 to $39,000 annually.

Why the middle man? Maybe they need a better scheme. Something like parental participation vouchers, where parents with children in failing schools would each get $1,000 bucks for improving their participation and communication with their child's teacher.

Just kidding.

Parent One or Parent Two?

Kentucky's Lexington Herald-Leader prints a sad but amusing column on the loss of the mother and father labels in Kentucky schools.

For a total of 21 years and two children, I was a father, a dad. My wife was a mother and a mom. Yet now, according to the Fayette County public school system, it has all been for naught. Alas, we are now merely Parent One and Parent Two. That's right, folks. If you've actually read the myriad forms and permission slips emanating from Central Office, you will find that there is no longer any space for mother or father's signature. Instead: Parent One and Parent Two.

The author blames Dr. Seuss:

I realize that a great number of schoolchildren do not live with their biological mother or father. Yet it's a safe bet that most of those kids are living with relatives who have a very clear concept of "mother" and "father." Then again, maybe there are adults would be happier being called simply Adult One and Adult Two.

It doesn't take a crystal ball to see what's coming. "Oh thanks, Billy, how sweet. Honey, look. Billy made a card all by himself. Happy Parent One Day! Thank you!"

It's all the fault of Dr. Seuss and The Cat in The Hat. When things got really out of hand and Parent One was at the door, whom did he conjure up? Why Thing One and Thing Two.

SAT Roundup

Joanne and Kimberly have lots of coverage and interpretation of the 2003 SAT scores.

Meanwhile, University of Idaho economics professor, John T. Wenders, sends along this tidbit that helps us to keep in mind the rising cost of higher SAT scores and puts the scores in historical context.

In 1967 and 1968 total SAT scores were 1059. Last year they were 1020, and this year they were 1026. Over roughly the same period, real total expenditure per student went up 118.7% and current expenditure per student went up 125.1%. In short, scores fell while spending more than doubled in real terms.

A Sign of the Times

It is rather disconcerting to see these two headlines in the Baltimore Sun on the same day talking about the same population of Maryland high-schoolers.

Student Scores On The SAT Rise To All-Time High

Half Of Students Fail Unofficial Exit Exams At Md. High Schools

Goals 2000, RIP

Matt Ladner of Children First America looks at whatever happened to Goals 2000.

In September of 1989, President George Herbert Walker Bush and the nation's 50 governors met at an "Education Summit" at Charlottesville, Virginia, and agreed to set education goals for the nation's public schools. A bipartisan affair, the summit eventually resulted in the adoption of "National Education Goals" by the governors and the President. Among the state leaders of this effort was then Governor and future President Bill Clinton, who later codified the goals into federal law. These goals stated that by the year 2000, students would (among other things) "demonstrate competence in challenging subject matter" and be "first in the world in math and science achievement."

As Matt concludes:

Recently, Congress put "Goals 2000" out of business. Doubtlessly, many of the grandees involved have moved on to an assortment of other worthy pursuits. Sadly, a huge number of the children who enrolled in kindergarten in 1989 cannot read and understand this column today.

One has to wonder if someone might be writing something similar about NCLB Act in a decade or so.

Guilty!

Thanks to Mackinac's Michigan Education Report:

MIAMI, Fla. - The chief of the Miami-Dade county teachers union
plead guilty yesterday to fraud after spending hundreds of
thousands of union dollars on personal expenses and luxury items.

An investigation uncovered $650,000 in personal expenditures by
union President Pat Tornillo for the past five years. Tornillo
billed the union for private villas in the Caribbean islands,
luxury cruises, and first-class travel to the 2000 Sydney
Olympics.

A plea bargain states that Tornillo will pay $650,000 in
restitution, $160,000 in back taxes, and a $25,000 fine. His
salary was $228,000 per year, and he was released yesterday on
$100,000 bond.

This is so outrageous. I can't get over the fact that no one questioned Tornillo's extravagance for more than five years! I really wonder how often this happens. I feel guilty if I charge Reason for a Starbucks while I am waiting at the airport.

Your Education Dollars at Work

University of Idaho Economics Professor John T. Wenders e-mails the following with the tag line: News of the Weird (or $350K down the tubes).


From the Idaho Department of Education:


SEPT. 30 DEADLINE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT

Seven $50,000 grants are available for school districts to provide community service opportunities for expelled or suspended students. For more information visit: or call Claudia Hasselquist of the State Department of Education, 1.208.332.6961.

School/Prison Metaphor takes on New Meaning

The Chicago Public Schools will have to identify students considered at risk for committing future crimes and set up a program to give them tours of a state prison in an attempt to discourage bad behavior under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

This quote by a representative who sponsored the bill is very strange:

Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago), a House sponsor of the legislation, said the new law reminded her of the time she visited the Cook County Jail as part of a social studies class when she attended Calumet High School in the 1950s. She said her teacher, who was white, pointed out an African-American female prisoner and suggested she looked like Davis.

"I felt totally humiliated," recalled Davis, who is black. "However, I must say to you I would never want to be housed in the small, cramped, dark corner of a jail cell."

In other words, being humiliated and compared to a black female prisoner was the only thing that kept Davis from a life of crime and led to her successful political career. Oops, I forgot they are one and the same.

Dave Barry on the state of education in America

Barry's latest "back to school column."

I have here a letter, which I am not making up, from a teacher named Robin Walden of Kilgore, Texas, who states:

"I teach math to eighth-grade students. This is an unnecessary task because they are all going to be professional basketball players, professional NASCAR race-car drivers, professional bass fisher people, or marine biologists who will never need to actually use math."

This is a sad commentary on the unrealistic expectations of today's students. Because the harsh statistical truth is that, in any given group of 10 young people, only a third of them, or 22 percent, will actually succeed as professional bass fishers. The rest will wind up in the real world, where, like it or not, they will need a practical knowledge of math.

For example, I recently found myself in a situation at a bank where suddenly, without warning, I had to add up four three-digit numbers by hand. Fortunately, I went to elementary school in the 1950s, when we were in the Cold War, and American children were forced to learn addition, because the Russians were making their children learn addition. Thanks to that training, I knew that, to get the correct answer, I had to carry some numbers.

Unfortunately, I could not remember how to do this.

For some reason I could remember that pi is the ratio of circumference to diameter of a circle, but that did not help me in this case. (To be honest, it has never helped me.) But addition had leaked out of my brain, along with subtraction, multiplication, long division, the cosine, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff and most of the other things I learned in school, although of course my brain has carefully preserved the following jingle for Brylcreem hair ointment:

"Brylcreem, a little dab'll do ya. Brylcreem, you'll look so debonair. But watch out, the gals'll all pursue ya. They'll love to get their fingers in your hair!" Which is a total lie: Touching Brylcreemed hair is like sticking your hand into the nostril of a sick pig.

Thanks to Joanne Jacobs, who still has the best education coverage.

Since education is the largest item in California's budget--it would be nice to know what any candidate plans to do about it.

Would Arnold Support School Choice?

Last week Schwarzenegger told NBC’s Matt Lauer, “I think children should have the first call on the budget.” It turns out in California they do—with the 2003-2004 California budget including $45.7 billion for K-14 education spending alone—representing a $1.7 billion or 4 percent increase from 2002-2003. However, as both parents and government officials know, children can often break the bank, and money can’t necessarily buy love or student achievement.

In fact, on the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress reading exam, just 21 percent of California fourth-graders scored at or above the "proficient" level. The national rate was 30 percent. More specifically, in Los Angeles, 67 percent of students scored below basic turning in the second worst performance in the nation behind Washington D.C. at 69 percent. The release of California’s 2003 test scores found 925 California schools not meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP). California AYP only requires that 13.6 percent of elementary children and 11.2 percent of high school students be proficient in reading and math. Thousands of children are now eligible for the public-school choice provision under the No Child Left Behind Act. Yet, California has a shortage of better public schools for these kids to transfer into. In the public school sector, these children have nowhere to go.

With vast amounts of taxpayer spending equaling poor performance for California’s children, the crucial question for Arnold becomes: What will he do with the children stuck in record numbers of low-performing schools despite high levels of taxpayer investment in education? Will he spend more or let them out?

We can extrapolate some of Schwarzenegger’s potential education policy from the company he keeps. Pete Wilson opposed proposition 174, the first statewide California school voucher initiative, but later proposed a more moderate voucher plan similar to Governor Jeb Bush’s Florida Opportunity Scholarship Plan, that allows students in failing schools to use vouchers to attend the private or public school of their choice. Similarly, Mayor Riordan opposed Tim Draper’s proposition 38, California’s second failing statewide voucher initiative, but supported private school vouchers for low-income children through the Los Angeles Children’s Scholarship Fund. Arnold has Internet photos with Tim Draper at various children’s charitable functions and recently co-hosted an Education Summit with Education Secretary Rod Paige, who just last week came out in favor of vouchers in the Wall Street Journal. And of course Schwarzenegger has been a prominent supporter of President Bush, who at least pays lip service to the benefits of school choice.

These associations, however, are no guarantee of Arnold becoming a school choice advocate. Yet, it is likely that Arnold would support more school competition and parental choice than the current administration. And with more Democrats like Dianne Feinstein, Joe Lieberman, and DC Mayor Anthony Williams breaking ranks with the union and coming out in favor of vouchers in D.C. and other low-performing urban cities, it makes a Schwarzenegger pro-choice position seem almost moderate.

So while Schwarzenegger will not likely support a full-scale voucher or tax credit scheme to privatize education there are several moderate proposals he could imitate:

· He could drastically increase the number of charter schools in California by letting local government, Universities, and nonprofits authorize and monitor the schools.

· He could let organizations bid to run failing schools similar to the Philadelphia approach, that has universities, nonprofits, and for-profit companies managing the city’s worst-performing schools.

· He could initiate a state-wide voucher program a la’ Colorado Governor Bill Owens and Florida Governor Jeb Bush that allows students in failing schools to use vouchers in private or public schools.

· He could institute a tax credit program like Arizona, Florida, or Pennsylvania that allows individuals and corporations to take a tax-credit for donations to charitable organizations that provide private scholarships to low-income and minority students.

· He could take advantage of President Bush’s proposed $75 million school choice pilot project by offering up a city such as Compton, Oakland, or even Los Angeles as a test city for federally funded school vouchers.


The bottom line is that Arnold will likely follow the George W. school-choice model. The President has been the supporter of more choices in education, including the Washington D.C voucher plan, public school choice, and the private tutoring vouchers for children in failing schools, while simultaneously pumping billions more federal dollars into public education. We know from experience with Proposition 49 that when it comes to children Arnold is not averse to spending taxpayer dollars. Arnold will likely continue record levels of education spending while opening up moderate choice options for children in failing public schools. Hence, one key question for Arnold will be how he intends to utilize choice and competition to stretch the public dollar while increasing accountability and performance. I will be listening very closely for that answer.

California Failing School Theme Continues. . .

Lance Izumi is first out of the gate with Pacific Research Institute's "California Education Report Card: Index of Leading Indicators."

The Orange County Register summarizes some of the report's findings:

• On the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress reading exam, just 21 percent of California fourth-graders scored at or above the "proficient" level. The national rate was 30 percent.

• The 2000 math part of the NAEP for fourth-graders saw improvement by all racial groups, "including African-American and Hispanic students ... compared to scores on the 1996 exam." However, both Hispanic and African-American Californians had scores "considerably lower than the scores of Texas African-Americans and Hispanics." This is an important comparison because Texas also is a large, diverse state with many immigrant students.

• Scores of English learners on the California English Language Development Test almost tripled in 2002, to 32 percent considered "proficient," from just 11 percent in 2001. The 1998 English for the Children initiative, which essentially eliminated bilingual education in favor of English immersion, is working.

• In the 2001-02 school year, 30 percent of students "in the ninth-grade class four years earlier either dropped out or for other reasons did not graduate from high school."

• In 2002, 59 percent of incoming Cal State students took remedial English or math courses. It's appalling that even college students, despite 13 years in K-12 public schools, still can't read and do math.

• From 1995-96 to 2000-01, crimes against persons - assault with a deadly weapon, battery, homicide, robbery/extortion and sex offenses - increased 33 percent in schools. "The rate of sex offenses during this period increased 94 percent." Commenting on this section of the report, Mr. Izumi said, "Interviews of principals showed that, as achievement goes up, safety and discipline problems go down."

Stay tuned for a note on how California's urban centers performed compared to other cities on the NAEP and for the release of California's test scores later this week. My bet is that California will have thousands more children eligible for public school choice with nowhere to go.