Posted under Education Politics & Governor & Grades and Standards & Innovation and Reform & School Accountability & School Choice
Probably the best state for Colorado or any other to look to as a model in education reform is Florida. Education reform was the primary focus of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush during his eight-year tenure, and he was able to make progress on many fronts. The remarkable success yielded by years of systematic advances in school choice, accountability, standards, and teacher pay makes the Sunshine State worthy of emulation:
Government-gathered data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that Florida has outpaced Colorado and the national average in nearly every measure of math and reading proficiency.
In that light, it was important that Heritage Foundation education policy analyst Dan Lips was able to sit down and interview Jeb Bush (H/T Matt Ladner) at a recent education reform summit in Orlando. Here are a few key excerpts of Bush’s remarks from the interview transcribed at National Review Online:
We need all schools — here in Florida and in 49 other states — to get better for our country’s future. The only way to improve student performance is through continual and perpetual reform of education. America needs a 21st century education system for a 21st century world….
Raising standards, measuring progress, grading school performance, providing educational options and targeting resources to reward success and reverse failure are all tools that are transforming schools and raising student achievement.
However, success is never final. I hope we never stop trying to implement more innovative and audacious reforms….
I also believe we need to better apply free-market principles to the way we deliver education in order to improve the entire system. We should expand educational options so all parents can make the best choices for their children. Teachers and principals should be paid based on performance. Educators that teach subjects with a shortage of teachers, teach in low-performing schools or carry increased responsibilities should be paid more. We should also give merit pay to teachers based on student learning gains and other objective measures….
People from across the ideological spectrum can agree that improving the quality of education for students from every background, from pre-K through high school, is the great challenge of our time. We need to put partisan rhetoric aside and work together to raise student achievement through reforms that produce measurable results.
Go and read the whole thing. For the sake of myself and other kids, too, it would be great if Colorado could have a leader as bold, articulate, and visionary as Jeb Bush.
CAUTION on 21 Aug 2008 at 1:20 am #
The spin machine was in full force in Orlando at the Summit. Winds were felt hundreds of miles away. Please, Colorado, research Florida before trying to emulate Jeb’s disastrous
doings. We rank among the top in dropouts and among the bottom i n ACT and SAT scores. The highest stat I recall had 78%
of our college students reqiring remediation. Why would you wish this on your state? Plus, the bar is not always raised. For example, they just eased graduation standards to up our numbers and our writing standards have been lowered. Fight this now.
Ben on 21 Aug 2008 at 9:21 am #
I have reviewed the NAEP evidence, and there is a definite positive trendline that correlates to Bush’s reforms.
But please share actual links, sources, citations, etc., for graduation rates, ACT / SAT scores, college remediation, etc.
These factors are lagging indicators of reform, so the data won’t show the full effects of the reform yet. It also would be best not to look at a static figure of Florida’s ranking in a particular category for one year, but to chart a similar trendline.
But I’m interested in seeing the competing evidence, so please share links.
CAUTION on 21 Sep 2008 at 1:08 pm #
Ben, Please google the needed terms to get the articles on our SAT scores, ACT scores, dropout rates, college students needing remediation etc. Also be informed that Florida has a retention policy in grade 3. Therefore our grade 4 is purged of many poor scorers. Also, if ou hear the stats provided by Mr. ladner about the difference in proficiency percentages between 1998 and 2007, again please know the retention policy was not in effect in 1998. The omission of these details put this undeserved praise in its perspective.Save your state from following Florida..
Ben on 22 Sep 2008 at 11:11 am #
So the kids who are poor readers (or can’t read at all) are not socially promoted from 3rd grade? Seems like that might be part of the success Florida has had.
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/ewp_07.pdf
Ed is Watching » Delaware Is More Proof that Strong Standards and Parental Choice Work on 23 Sep 2008 at 9:37 am #
[...] couple months ago I told you about the state of Florida’s amazing success in improving early reading test scores. Here [...]
Diane Hanfmann on 28 Dec 2008 at 11:16 pm #
Actually, my point is not about social promotion. My point would be the missing poor performers in Florida’s grade 4 would elevate Florida’s grade 4 standing in comparison to those who perform poorly but would be in fourth grade anyway in other states. By keeping them out of the pool of grade 4 scorers, you get better results at that grade level.
For example, if I had a sample of all 7 year olds and compared their swimming ability to a group which consisted only of 7 year old swimmers who enrolled and qualified for the state swim team, the second group would appear better due to exclusionary factors.
Don’t get so excited about ending social promotion, which by no means is accomplished in Florida. Repeated retention can be correlated to dropping out, a stat where Florida ranks high…
drop out.
Look elsewhere for educational models unless you like Jeb’s failures.